Footage has emerged of an unusual sporting event in Vietnam involving a wooden ball, young men in loincloths, and a lot of mud.

The unique festival is held in May every year in Bac Giang province. The festival is called ‘Vật Cầu Nước’ in Vietnamese, which translates as ‘Wrestling Festival Ball on Mud’ in English.

The festival, which is a chance to pray for abundant crops, good health, and favourable weather, is said to have continued for hundreds of years.

The tournament pitch is a mud pool, each team is made up of eight young men, and their job is to rob a large wooden ball from the other side and carry it to a small hole in their opponent’s end. The ball weighs about 20 kilograms and matches take 30 minutes.

The festival is held across three days.

Video captured the moment of the two groups of men were robbing a ball in the mud during a festival in Vietnam.
The unique festival is held in May every year in Bac Giang province. The festival is called " Vật Cầu Nước" in Vietnamese or " Wrestling Festival Ball On Mud".
The festival has existed hundreds of years ago and is preserved and developed to this day. The festival was organized to pray for good crops, healths, and favorable weather for the people.
A special feature of the festival is that it will be organized on mud. Participants will have to be in a mud pool.
Two groups of men including 16 people divided into two groups will participate in the festival. The mission of each team will be to rob a wooden ball. The ball weighs about 20 kilograms. The team that brings the most wooden ball into a small hole of the opponent will be the winner. The match will take place on a mud puddle for 30 minutes.
The festival will be held in three days.
Video captured in Bac Giang Province, Viet Nam.