Opening of the 2025 Hung Vuong Cup Volleyball Tournament

On the evening of April 3, at the Provincial Sports Training and Competition House, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in collaboration with the Vietnam Volleyball Federation, organized the opening of the 2025 Hung Vuong Cup Volleyball Tournament. This official event is part of the Vietnam Volleyball Federation’s professional competition system and has been held annually in Phu Tho province since 2004 to commemorate the Hung Kings' death anniversary.

Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Phung Khanh Tai, along with delegates, presented flowers and souvenir flags to the teams participating in the tournament.

Standing Deputy Secretary Phung Khanh Tai also presented flowers to the leaders of Lam Thao Super Phosphate and Chemical Joint Stock Company, the main sponsor of this year’s tournament.

This year’s Hung Vuong Cup takes place from April 3-6, featuring 112 athletes from 8 top men’s and women’s volleyball teams (ranked 1-4) after Phase 1 of the 2025 National Volleyball Championship concluded on March 31. The men’s teams include Ho Chi Minh City Police, Tan Cang The Cong, Da Nang, and MB Border Guard, while the women’s teams feature LPBank Ninh Binh, BC Thong tin - Dong Bac, Cong Thuong Bank, and the defending champions, VTV Binh Dien Long An.

The tournament follows a knockout format starting from the semi-finals, with two men’s teams and two women’s teams advancing to the final to compete for the championship. The losing teams in the semi-finals will meet to compete for third place.

World Champion Michal Kubiak (No. 13 in red) delivered an impressive performance, helping Ho Chi Minh City Police win 3-0 against Da Nang in the first men’s semi-final.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, a representative from the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism emphasized that this is the most anticipated sporting event during the Hung Kings' Commemoration and the Cultural-Tourism Week of the Ancestral Land this year. It meets the entertainment needs of the people and tourists returning to the nation’s origin. A key highlight of this year’s Hung Vuong Cup is the partnership with the main sponsor, Lam Thao Super Phosphate and Chemical Joint Stock Company, which has resulted in the reward for the champion team being increased threefold. The winner will receive 200 million VND, while the second, third, and encouragement teams will receive 150 million VND, 100 million VND, and 70 million VND, respectively.

Additionally, the individual categories and support funds for the teams have been increased by two to four times, raising the competitiveness of the tournament and paving the way for the Hung Vuong Cup to become an international event in the coming years.

The LPBank Ninh Binh women’s team (wearing yellow shirts) advanced to the final for the third consecutive year after a 3-0 victory over Industrial and Commercial Bank.

Following the opening ceremony, the first men’s semi-final match between Ho Chi Minh City Police and Da Nang took place. With standout performances from two foreign players, World Champion Michal Kubiak and Ceasar Cardenas, Ho Chi Minh City Police secured a 3-0 victory, advancing to the men’s final.

The matches attracted a large number of fans, who eagerly cheered on their favorite teams.

Previously, runner-up LPBank Ninh Binh, who finished second in the 2024 Hung Vuong Cup, comfortably defeated Industrial and Commercial Bank to secure their spot in the women’s final, scheduled for 9:00 p.m. on April 5.

Quoc Dai