Mr. James Hesketh reports

VIVA GOLD CONTINUES TO EXPAND GOLD MINERALIZATION AT THE TONOPAH GOLD PROJECT IN NEVADA

Viva Gold Corp. has released announce additional results from the 2026 reverse circulation (RC) drill program at its Tonopah gold project. Tonopah is located on the prolific Walker Lane mineral trend in Western Nevada, approximately a 30-minute drive south of Kinross Gold's Round Mountain mine. Building on previously announced results, today's results continue to extend known gold mineralization and define new mineralized areas across the deposit -- reinforcing the momentum of a program that has returned consistent gold intercepts across the first 15 holes drilled.

"With each batch of results, the picture at Tonopah gets bigger and clearer. TG2614 defined the width extent of the new southeast trend, while TG2615 builds directly on our earlier TG2608 intercept to establish a new block on gold mineralization of the south side of the deposit. The first 15 holes of this program are now being incorporated into our updated resource model, and we are encouraged by what we are seeing," stated James Hesketh, president and chief executive officer.

With assays in hand for 15 of the 19 holes, and results for the remaining four expected in the coming weeks, the 2026 program is feeding directly into the updated resource model that will underpin the company's prefeasibility study, targeted for Q4 2026.

RC drill program highlights

Highlights of the company's latest assay returns include:

• TG2615: 56.4 m at 0.35 g/t Au in two zones starting at 32 metres depth;
• TG2614: 19.8 m at 1.01 g/t Au in four zones starting at 51.8 metres depth;
• TG2612: 7.6 m at 0.34 g/t Au in two zones starting at 56.4 metres depth.

This drill program was designed to infill and upgrade areas of inferred gold mineral resource and undrilled areas currently carried as waste within the company's 2025 PEA resource pit shell. Additional drilling was performed on open extensions to mineralization outside the PEA pit shell. Nineteen drill holes totalling 3,210 metres have been completed in this program including three exploration holes drilled in the Midway Hills prospect area at Tonopah. Assay results have been received for holes TG2601 to TG2615 with assay returns pending for the remaining four drill holes.

Quality assurance/quality control

Viva Gold utilizes a well-documented system of inserting blanks and standards into the assay stream and has a strict chain of custody for samples taken by the company. Assays taken by the company are completed at independent laboratories which have internal quality assurance and quality control systems and procedures. Assays were performed by American Assay Laboratories Inc. of Reno, Nev., by fire assay and ICP methods with gravimetric finish.

Qualified person

James Hesketh, MMSA-QP, has approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this press release. Mr. Hesketh is not independent of the company; he is an officer and director.

About Viva Gold Corp.

Viva Gold's 100-per-cent-owned Tonopah gold project is located within a large land position in established gold-mining country on the prolific Walker Lane structural trend in Western Nevada, approximately a 30-minute drive south of Kinross Gold's Round Mountain mine. Viva has defined a high-confidence gold mineral resource and has demonstrated the potential for an economically viable open-pit, heap leach/mill gold project through its 2025 preliminary economic assessment (PEA). Prefeasibility study (PFS) has been initiated on the project with a final report due in fourth quarter of 2026. Viva Gold is committed to advancing the Tonopah gold project in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, consistent with management's core values.

Viva Gold is led by chief executive officer James Hesketh, a 40-year mining industry veteran who has led the development and construction of eight mines globally. The board and management team include experienced mining professionals with expertise in exploration, project development, construction and mine operations.

Viva Gold trades on the TSX Venture Exchange (VAU), the OTCQB (VAUCF) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (7PB). Viva currently has approximately 172 million shares outstanding. The company is advancing its Tonopah gold project in mining-friendly Nevada with the support of institutional shareholders.

We seek Safe Harbor.