The two sides discussed strategies for expanding sports cooperation, aiming to strengthen connections between regulatory bodies and sports federations, as well as to organize exchange activities and competitions in the near future.
During the meeting, Ambassador Thamer Mohammed A. Aigosaibi expressed a desire to foster sports cooperation between the two nations by leveraging the potential, strengths, and practical needs of each side. Beyond existing areas of collaboration, the two parties could expand cooperation into various sports, including football, boxing, kickboxing, cycling, hiking, and aquatic sports. The Ambassador emphasized that enhanced cooperation would not only contribute to professional development within these sports but also create opportunities for organizations, athletes, and clubs from both countries to interact, share experiences, and gradually develop concrete, collaborative programs.
Director of the Vietnam Sports Authority, Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet, meets with the Saudi Arabian delegation on the morning of October 27
Assessing the potential for cooperation, Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet noted that in recent years, Vietnamese sports have made significant strides, particularly within the Asian regional arena. Beyond football, Vietnam possesses strengths in various other sports, including gymnastics, boxing, and other martial arts. Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet also highlighted Vietnam’s network of sports partnerships across Asia—ranging from long-standing partners like China, Japan, and South Korea to various Southeast Asian nations. Building on this foundation, Vietnam is keen to expand its cooperation with countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, to create further development opportunities for the sports sectors of both nations.
According to Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet, there remains significant untapped potential for collaboration between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia in sports disciplines beyond football. Consequently, enhancing information exchange, identifying specific needs, and determining suitable areas for cooperation are essential steps toward fostering a more substantive relationship between the two sides.
The Director emphasized that Vietnam hosts numerous sporting events annually, spanning various levels and scales. These include 50 to 70 running events each year, as well as a series of recurring martial arts tournaments and well-organized international martial arts festivals and exchange events. Such occasions offer excellent opportunities for Saudi Arabian athletes to compete, gain experience, exchange professional expertise, and increase their presence at sporting events held in Vietnam.
The Director presents a commemorative gift to the Ambassador
In addition to participating in tournaments hosted by each country, both sides could also consider sending national teams or clubs to engage in friendly matches, as well as organizing joint training programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives. These activities will provide athletes with more opportunities for international exposure, while also enabling coaches, experts, and sports organizations to share their expertise in training, competition management, and the development of sports movements.
For sports with potential for collaboration—such as football, boxing, kickboxing, cycling, badminton, race walking, and aquatic sports—strengthening ties between the respective federations is expected to pave the way for new forms of cooperation. Based on actual needs and circumstances, the parties can gradually identify priority areas, develop implementation plans, and move toward more in-depth collaborative initiatives.
In the spirit of exchange, mutual learning, and shared development, Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet proposed that both sides promptly establish points of contact, facilitating direct communication between regulatory bodies and sports federations to develop concrete cooperation programs. The Vietnam Sports Authority stands ready to provide support within the scope of its mandate, while also connecting sports federations and associations to explore and implement activities that leverage the respective strengths of each nation.
In response, Ambassador Thamer Mohammed A. Aigosaibi acknowledged Vietnam’s goodwill and expressed his agreement with the objective of strengthening connections between state regulatory bodies and sports federations. The Saudi Arabian side intends to engage with its own relevant sports ministries and authorities to advance the discussed connections, with the goal of gradually translating them into tangible collaborative activities.
The meeting aims to pave the way for more extensive cooperation in the field of sports between the two nations
Today’s session further strengthens the sports relationship between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, while reflecting a shared desire to shift from preliminary, orientation-based exchanges toward practical, concrete engagement. Through the coordination of governing bodies, federations, and sports organizations, various exchange activities and competitions exchanging and sharing experiences in the coming time is expected to help effectively harness the potential and strengths of each country, contributing to the overall development of sports in both nations.
Ha Phuong