Vietnam’s men’s and women’s national volleyball teams have been assigned key performance goals by the Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) and the national sports authorities ahead of SEA Games 33 in 2025.
Gold medal target for women’s team, silver for men’s team
On March 7, VFV Secretary-General Le Tri Truong stated:
“Preparations for Vietnam’s volleyball teams at SEA Games 33 have been thoroughly discussed. The target for the women’s team is to win the gold medal, while the men’s team is expected to secure silver. Each coaching staff has submitted their training and competition plans in preparation for the event.”
He also revealed that besides participating in international tournaments, the federation is considering overseas training camps for both teams:
“The possibility of overseas training depends on various factors, including budget, timing, and location. We will carefully assess this before making a final decision.”
Pressure of high expectations
There have been concerns that such ambitious targets may put added pressure on Vietnam’s volleyball teams at SEA Games 33. However, women’s head coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and men’s head coach Tran Dinh Tien have accepted the challenge and are actively preparing their squads.
Additionally, Vietnam’s women’s volleyball team may soon secure a long-term sponsor, according to Le Tri Truong:
“We are in discussions with potential partners. Finding dedicated sponsors for national volleyball teams has always been a priority. We hope the women’s team will secure additional resources to participate in more international competitions.”
Challenges in securing sponsorship
Currently, Vietnam’s national volleyball teams (both indoor and beach volleyball) do not have a dedicated main sponsor. In 2023 and 2024, coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet led the women’s team to encouraging results, drawing increasing interest from fans after recent international tournament victories. However, securing a long-term sponsor for the women’s volleyball team has proven to be difficult.
In some competitions, the team received support from sponsors, but mostly in the form of product sponsorships rather than financial backing. If a long-term sponsorship deal is secured, it would enhance the team’s image and value significantly.
Vietnam’s SEA Games volleyball history
The last time both Vietnam’s men’s and women’s volleyball teams reached the SEA Games finals was at SEA Games 31 in 2022, held on home soil. However, both teams fell short in the final, settling for silver medals.
Historically, Vietnam has never won a SEA Games gold medal in volleyball, and SEA Games 33 presents another opportunity to make history in the sport.
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