25th SEA Games, Laos

The Lao National Sports Committee is improving the old National Football Stadium in Vientiane in preparation for the 25 th SEA Games to be held in Laos next year.

The government is spending 14 billion kip on the work, which began in April and is set for completion by June next year. Group B football matches will take place at the stadium.

The grass will be reseeded and repairs will be made to the electrical system, seating, toilets and running track. New changing rooms will also be built.

The existing stadium has 6,000 seats, which is believed to be sufficient to accommodate spectators at the first round of the football tournament.

Athletics teams are currently training at the stadium in preparation for the 8 th National Games in Champassak province in December. The Lao Football Federation also holds Lao league football matches here.

It is expected there may be some disruption to these activities while the repairs are in progress.

The government is spending a further 20 billion kip to repair the 10,000-seat football stadium in Luang Prabang province, where the SEA Games' women's football tournament will take place.

“The SEA Games Council committee will survey the football stadiums in Vientiane and in Luang Prabang and Champassak provinces next year after repairs have been made,” the Chief of Facilities of the Lao sports committee's Construction Department, Mr Phaiboon Chanthamaly, said.

A new football stadium is being built in Champassak province and is set for completion by the end of this year. The stadium will be used for the National Games and also for some of the men's football matches in the SEA Games. The stadium, which it is located in Pakxe district, will have 15,000 seats.

The semi-final round of the SEA Games' men's football competition will take place at the new National Football Stadium at Km18 in Xaythany district, Vientiane . This stadium will also be used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the games.

The new stadium will have 25,000 seats. Construction work has already begun and the stadium will be finished next year.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes