Just 6 Days Left: Vietnam to Break Ground on 10,000-Hectare Urban Development in Hanoi, Featuring One of the World’s Largest Stadiums

On the upcoming December 19th, Vietnam is set to commence construction on several large-scale infrastructure and urban development projects. Among these, a notable project in Hanoi is the Olympic Urban Area. With an estimated investment of 350 trillion VND, it is considered one of the most ambitious planning endeavors in Hanoi. Spanning approximately 16,000 hectares, the project’s implementation area covers around 10,000 hectares and is expected to house up to 800,000 residents.

Recently, the People’s Committee of Thuong Tin District unveiled the detailed 1/500 planning design for Zone B of the Olympic Urban Area, inviting feedback from relevant organizations and individuals. Zone B, covering over 3,118 hectares across Thuong Tin, Tam Hung, Thuong Phuc, and Dan Hoa communes, is planned to accommodate approximately 186,760 residents. This zone allocates over 1,700 hectares for residential development, including terraced houses, villas (3-4 stories), and apartment buildings (up to 21 stories), catering to over 13,000 residents.

Zone B also features additional amenities such as a central square, commercial centers, hotels, hospitals, and mid- to high-end resorts to cater to athletes and tourists. Notably, it includes the Global Aquatic Arena, a state-of-the-art aquatic sports facility.

The centerpiece of Zone B is the “Dong Son Drum” Stadium, designed to seat 135,000 spectators across 48 hectares. Inspired by the Dong Son bronze drum and the Lac bird, the stadium symbolizes Vietnam’s aspirations for growth and development.

According to the planning blueprint, the Olympic Urban Area will become a leading large-scale urban development in Hanoi and Vietnam. The city aims to create a modern eco-city and a regional and international sports hub. The project’s infrastructure will meet the standards required to host events such as the Asian Games and the Olympic Games.

The Olympic Urban Area project will establish a sports and service-oriented urban center integrated with a sports complex. It aims to develop southern Hanoi in conjunction with the cultural axis connecting My Dinh, Ba Sao, and Bai Dinh, linking the heritage of Thang Long – Hoa Lu with the Huong Son – Tam Chuc historical sites.

Globally, notable sports city projects include Dubai Sports City (UAE, 5,000 hectares), Qatar Sports City – Aspire Zone, and Melbourne & Olympic Park (Australia).

The World’s Second-Largest Stadium

If completed, the Dong Son Drum Stadium will rank as the world’s second-largest stadium by seating capacity. According to the International Olympic Committee, the largest stadium currently is the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, with 150,000 seats. Opened in 1989, it underwent renovations in 2014.

In Vietnam, the largest stadium remains My Dinh, with approximately 40,000 seats, previously surpassed by Can Tho Stadium. Before its 2019 renovation, Can Tho Stadium held over 50,000 seats but now accommodates around 30,000. Most recently, in October 2025, construction began on the PVF Stadium in Hung Yen, spanning 5.5 hectares with a 60,000-seat capacity.