The International Mathematics Olympiad 2026 is being held in Shanghai, China, bringing together nearly 700 contestants from 119 countries and territories. This marks the largest participation in the IMO's 67-year history.

The Vietnamese team comprises six students: Phan Dang Nguyen (12th grade, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, Hanoi), Nguyen Hoang Phuong (11th grade, Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted, Nghe An), Tran Dai Thanh Danh (12th grade, High School for the Gifted, Vietnam National University, TP HCM), Nguyen Dinh Tung (12th grade, High School for Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Ha Manh Hung (11th grade, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, Hanoi), and Nguyen Le Nhat Nam (12th grade, High School for the Gifted, Hanoi National University of Education).

The competition runs from 13/7 to 21/7, with 15 and 16 being the official exam days. Each day, contestants must solve three math problems within 4,5 h. The maximum score for each problem is 7 points. Contestants can receive the exam paper in their native language, provided they register in advance and receive approval from the organizing committee.

Medals are awarded based on the total scores from the two exam days, ranked from highest to lowest. Approximately 50% of the total participating contestants receive gold, silver, or bronze medals.

IMO Day one exam (15/7):

Professor Ngo Bao Chau met with the six IMO 2026 contestants before their departure for China. *Photo: Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics*

The IMO has been held annually since 1959. Vietnam first participated in the competition in 1974.

Last year, Vietnamese students secured two gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze medal, ranking 9th out of 110 teams. They placed after China, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Poland, Israel, India, and Singapore.

Thanh Hang