The competition features South Korean legends T1, including Faker, against the All-Star Vietnam team. This event is part of a series of activities: the "VPBank presents T1 Vietnam: Promise Fulfilled" fan meeting and the "VPBank presents eSports Festival: Legend Unite" festival. Unlike previous small-scale fan meetings, this event is designed as a multi-experience festival. Fans can not only watch the matches but also engage in a modern eSports cultural space with interactive activities, cosplay, and high-tech check-ins.

"VPBank presents T1 Vietnam: Promise Fulfilled" is a special fan meeting, marking a rare occasion for the T1 team to interact with fans in Vietnam. Photo: VPBank

"VPBank presents T1 Vietnam: Promise Fulfilled" is a special fan meeting, marking a rare occasion for the T1 team to interact with fans in Vietnam. Photo: VPBank

Hosting a two-day event series, expected to draw tens of thousands of attendees, highlights the significant investment and demands high standards for venue space, technical infrastructure, operations, and security. These are crucial elements for any large-scale eSports event.

Today, eSports has moved beyond being solely a gamer's arena, evolving into a powerful sport and entertainment sector, especially popular among young people. Therefore, VEC's partnership with VPBank for this T1 event series is a strategic move, aiming to create new event experiences for the domestic market.

Overview of the National Exhibition Center. Photo: VEC

Overview of the National Exhibition Center. Photo: VEC

A VEC representative, the venue sponsor, stated that this event is a crucial test, demonstrating VEC's operational capabilities as it aims to become a new hub for regional entertainment and sports events. Organizing a two-day eSports festival with tens of thousands of participants presents infrastructure challenges. eSports requires: high-speed, stable internet, advanced sound, lighting, and large LED screens to broadcast matches, along with secure spaces for star players. "This is an opportunity for VEC to leverage its advantages as what is currently considered Southeast Asia's largest exhibition center," the representative affirmed.

As part of the Vingroup ecosystem, VEC spans a total area of 90 hectares, offering flexible zoning capabilities. This vast space allows organizers to simultaneously set up multiple functional areas: a main stage with thousands of seats, game experience zones, food stalls, and community interaction areas, preventing localized congestion.

The A80 National Achievements Exhibition at VEC attracted over 10 million visitors. Photo: VEC

The A80 National Achievements Exhibition at VEC attracted over 10 million visitors. Photo: VEC

Before hosting T1, VEC demonstrated its operational capacity through numerous national and international events, including the A80 National Achievements Exhibition, which attracted over 10 million visitors, Industry and Technology Week 2025, the 8Wonder music festival, and V-Concert. On peak days, the venue safely welcomed and managed up to 1,3 million people. This experience in managing large crowds provides VEC with the foundation to meet the stringent demands of international eSports events, where fan enthusiasm often elevates security pressure to its highest.

According to a representative from the managing unit, partnering with VPBank for this event extends beyond merely providing a venue. It is a strategic step in VEC's brand repositioning. Instead of being known only as a site for traditional trade fairs and exhibitions, VEC aims to become a versatile entertainment complex, an annual destination for eSports tournaments and global music festivals.

The indoor exhibition area at VEC is designed in the shape of a turtle. Photo: VEC

The indoor exhibition area at VEC is designed in the shape of a turtle. Photo: VEC

Immediately following the T1 event, VEC will host the VPS Festival on 20/12, combining entertainment games with international DJs. In 1/2026, GENfest, one of Vietnam's largest multi-sensory music festivals, will also take place there. This continuous series of events indicates a clear shift in Hanoi's event industry, with organizers increasingly opting for large-scale venues with integrated infrastructure in satellite cities, rather than cramped downtown locations.

"With facilities meeting international standards, Vietnam has reason to hope for hosting official tournaments within the Worlds or MSI systems in the near future. The showdown between T1 and Vietnamese stars at VEC this weekend is not just a celebration for gamers; it is also an affirmation of Vietnam's event infrastructure readiness on the global map," said a VPBank representative.

(Source: VPBank)