The Global Industrial Park Golf Championship System (IPGolf Tour) was announced at the Industrial Park Forum 2025, held in Ho Chi Minh City on 11/12. The event gathered over 300 industrial park leaders and investors from both domestic and international markets.

Vietnam Industrial Zone (VIZ) and Group 54, an international entity specializing in sports and entertainment, signed a strategic cooperation agreement to launch the tournament system starting in 2026. Under the agreement, 54 Vietnam will be responsible for organizing and operating the entire tournament system according to international standards.

The signing ceremony on 11/12. Photo: Group 54

According to the plan, IPGolf 2026 will feature 10 regional stages in Vietnam and internationally, culminating in a global final. The system is expected to attract 252 competing teams, totaling 1,068 golfers. These participants will include industrial park leaders, manufacturing business executives, and investors from 16 countries.

International stages are planned for Singapore, Dubai, Germany, and the United States. The opening ceremony is scheduled for April 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. Organizers stated that the prize system will be designed to international standards, including a hole-in-one prize of a Rolls-Royce Spectre car and the IPGolf Championship Cup, crafted from natural stone, aiming to set a record for its scale.

Ben Styles, Group 54 Chief Executive Officer, speaks at the event. Photo: Group 54

Unlike purely sporting events, the IPGolf Tour is positioned as a dedicated networking platform for industrial park leaders, manufacturing businesses, and investors. Through golf rounds, organizers hope to create an informal dialogue space where participants can build relationships, share visions, and explore long-term cooperation opportunities.

Ben Styles, Chief Executive Officer of Group 54, noted that golf has long served as a networking tool in global business circles. Designing a tournament system specifically for industrial parks expands investment promotion approaches, complementing traditional meeting channels.

Data presented at the Industrial Park Forum 2025 indicates that Vietnam currently hosts over 450 industrial parks, attracting around 25,000 domestic and international investors. After over 30 years of development, Vietnam’s industrial parks are entering a new phase, demanding higher project quality, sustainable standards, and deeper international connectivity.

Amid global supply chain restructuring and more selective investment capital flows, soft connection models between business leaders and industrial parks are seen as a new approach to enhance mutual trust and understanding.

Nguyen Thi Kim Khanh, Founder of IPGolf and General Director of VIZ, stated that the tournament system will become a strategic dialogue platform for those directly involved in industrial park management and development. According to Khanh, no sports model has been specifically designed for this demographic globally.

Hoai Phuong