Originally built in 1929 and inaugurated in 1931, the stadium was initially named after Renault, the Chairman of the Cho Lon City Committee at the time. In 1960, it was renamed Cong Hoa Stadium following upgrades.
After the Reunification of Vietnam, it was renamed Thong Nhat Stadium on Sept. 2, 1975.
The main entrance to stand A is located on Nguyen Kim Street in District 10.
With a seating capacity of nearly 20,000, the stadium not only hosts football matches and major events but also serves as a training facility for the HCMC athletics team.
However, due to concerns over safety, stand B was closed to spectators in 2023. Fans are now only allowed to sit in the remaining three stands.
Despite this, the stadium recently hosted the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League Women’s Group C qualifying round, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Football Club on Oct.12.
The extent of the stadium's deterioration is evident, with peeling ceiling panels in the basement under stand B, revealing the steel framework beneath.
Tran Quoc Tuan, president of the Vietnam Football Federation, once expressed his desire to bring the national team to HCMC for attending matches but was unable to do so due to the degraded condition of the stadium that could not meet the necessary requirements.
Since the inauguration of My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi in 2003, matches of the Vietnamese national team at Thong Nhat Stadium have become increasingly rare.
The office of a rented football team is also damaged, with its iron framework and electrical wires exposed.
The reporter’s desk in stand A remains unused due to humidity, water leakage, and unclean conditions.
On September 20, the HCMC's Civil and Industrial Committee proposed city authorities to carry out urgent repairs on the stadium.
Renovation plans include upgrading stands A, C, and D, with improved facilities for athletes, VIP rooms, doping tests, medical services, and sanitation.
In addition, new stands B, C1, and D1 will be constructed, with each to have three floors.
At stand D, the protective fence for the audience is rusty and damaged.
During the renovation, the stadium would be equipped with a wastewater treatment facility, garbage collection facility, underground water tank, as well as water treatment and lighting systems.
The renovation is expected to meet the needs of training, competition, and coaching high-performance athletes as well as serve sports activities among the public.
A plastic surface around the stadium is peeling off in large patches.
Repairs on the stadium are scheduled to begin in January 2025, with completion expected by the end of the year, just in time for the 10th National Sports Festival in 2026.
The renovation is estimated to cost over VND149 billion (approximately US$6 million).
