Rach Chiec Stadium – design description

What is the Rach Chiec Stadium project like in brief?

The new Rach Chiec Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is set to be a state-of-the-art facility, featuring a retractable roof and an innovative air-conditioning system. The stadium will have a capacity of 70,000 spectators and will include an athletics track, while its design draws inspiration from riverside palm trees. A large sports complex is planned around the arena.

Although the project had been planned since the 1990s, construction only began in early 2026 and is being carried out as a public-private partnership with Vietnam’s leading developer, Sun Group. The cost of building the stadium is estimated at 35 trillion dong, while the entire sports complex is expected to cost over 145 trillion dong – approximately USD 5.5 billion.

How did the Rach Chiec Stadium project come about?

The construction of a large sports complex, named the Rach Chiec National Sports Complex, was first approved by the Ho Chi Minh City authorities in 1994, but the project was not realized at that time.

Plans were revived in 2017 when the city bid to host the 2021 Southeast Asian Games; however, the games were ultimately held in Hanoi, and the complex was once again not built.

The project finally got underway thanks to a public-private partnership with the leading Vietnamese developer Sun Group. The complex’s plans were designed by the well-known international firm Populous. The official groundbreaking ceremony took place on January 15, 2026.

Where will Rach Chiec Stadium be located?

The new sports complex is planned for the eastern part of Ho Chi Minh City, less than 10 km from the city center. The selected site covers an area of 186.78 hectares and is sparsely developed, featuring wooded areas, ponds, and low-rise buildings.

In connection with the plans for the complex, a wide one-kilometer road was previously built to connect the site with a nearby major arterial road. At the end of 2024, the Rach Chiec metro station also opened nearby, as part of the inauguration of the city’s entire first metro line.

What does the Rach Chiec Stadium project include?

The centerpiece of the new sports complex will be a multifunctional stadium with a capacity of 70,000 spectators. The arena’s design draws inspiration from the palm trees growing along the banks of the surrounding rivers.

The stadium will feature an athletics track, a retractable roof, and a state-of-the-art cooling system capable of adjusting the temperature in different seating zones.

Rach Chiec Stadium is set to become one of the most advanced venues in Southeast Asia, enabling top-level sports and cultural events – with the potential to host FIFA World Cup matches or even the Olympic Games.

Within Vietnam, there has so far been no facility comparable in scale or level of technological sophistication to the new Rach Chiec Stadium, although in 2025 the projects were launched for two other modern arenas near Hanoi: PVF Stadium and Trống Đồng Stadium.

What will be built around Rach Chiec Stadium?

The stadium will be part of the Rach Chiec National Sports Complex, which will also include an 18,000-seat multi-purpose arena, a smaller multi-functional hall with 5,000–10,000 seats, a swimming complex, a tennis center, as well as additional smaller sports fields and facilities.

The complex will also feature a conference center with a capacity of 10,000 people. The entire site will be enhanced with numerous walking paths, squares, green spaces, and riverside promenades.

When will Rach Chiec Stadium be completed?

Construction of the complex began in early 2026. The entire project is expected to be completed within a maximum of eight years, although the developers aim to shorten this period to five years. The investment is estimated at over 145 trillion dong, with the stadium itself accounting for 35 trillion.