The championship showdown featured Portugal and China, widely regarded as two of the world's leading fireworks nations. Over 40 minutes, both teams delivered synchronized fireworks displays combining music, light and storytelling.

Portugal impressed the judges with an emotional performance that highlighted Da Nang as a city where nature, culture and innovation converge. The display featured a wide range of visual effects, including cascading fireworks, comets, spherical shells, candles and fountains, creating a vivid tribute to Da Nang and Vietnam.

China's Jiangxi Yangfeng Art Display Co., Ltd., competing in its third consecutive DIFF final, presented a performance set to 10 songs, including three Vietnamese tracks. Using multi-layered firing techniques and fireworks depicting Da Nang's iconic bridges, the team showcased the festival's "Connecting Horizons" theme through a dynamic blend of light and music.

Portugal received the championship trophy and a cash prize of USD 20,000, while China finished runner-up and was awarded USD 10,000.

The organizers also presented the Creativity Award to Italy, the Promising Team Award to Japan, and the Audience Favorite Award to Da Nang-Vietnam. Each prize was worth USD 5,000.

Held over nearly two months during the summer, DIFF 2026 continued to strengthen Da Nang's reputation as a major festival destination and tourism driver. According to the organizers, all competition nights attracted full grandstands, with riverside areas, bridges and cruise boats crowded with spectators.

Before the final, the five qualifying nights, held between May 30 and June 27, welcomed more than 557,000 overnight visitors, up 34% year on year. Each competition night recorded over 100,000 overnight stays, with approximately 117,400 visitors on June 27, the highest figure of the festival.

Nguyen Thi Anh Thi, Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang People's Committee and head of the DIFF 2026 Organizing Committee, said the festival has become an important platform for promoting the city's image internationally and reinforcing its ambition to become Asia's leading destination for events and festivals. She added that DIFF has also been recognized internationally as one of the world's nine must-experience festivals.