Broadcasting rights for FIFA ASEAN Cup and Asiad: An unsolved puzzle for Vietnamese football

I remember an evening in September 2026 when all of Hanoi held its breath before the final shot of U23 Vietnam at the Asian Games. What if, in 2026, that screen goes dark because broadcasting rights remain unsigned? This is the story unfolding, and I – an old journalist who has witnessed three decades of Southeast Asian football upheaval – cannot help but feel a familiar unease. After winning the 2026 ASEAN Cup, the nation placed high expectations on coach Kim Sang Sik’s team for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, set from late September to early October. This marks the first time the regional tournament is directly organized by FIFA, turning it into a high-value commercial product but simultaneously pushing Vietnamese broadcasters into a tough spot. A reputable newspaper (VietNamNet) recently revealed that although a major television station is “close to buying” the rights, the negotiation is “more complex than previous tournaments.” The reason: broadcasting rights are now centralized under FIFA, instead of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) as before. Look at Vietnam’s match schedule: facing the Philippines on September 26, Thailand three days later, and Pakistan on October 2 – three matches in less than a week. This is a compressed period demanding maximum squad rotation. But the core issue is not on the pitch; it is behind the scenes: currently, no broadcaster in Southeast Asia holds the rights to the tournament. This suggests a mismatch between FIFA’s valuation and the market’s ability to pay. I have lived through many rights negotiations. At age 66, I understand that the “reasonable price” broadcasters mention is actually a tense bargaining round. The dilemma: if the FIFA ASEAN Cup rights are not secured, Vietnamese fans may face a blank screen just when the national team plays. The same applies to the 20th Asian Games, where Vietnam targets 4-6 gold medals and a top-20 finish, but the rights have hit an impasse in Japan. A television station leader admitted: “It’s very difficult.” This is a hidden corner of the sports industry rarely discussed: the commercial power of FIFA and the OCA weighs heavily on developing economies. Vietnam is not alone; the entire region has yet to buy the rights. But that does not ease the disappointment of fans. Expectation is a cracked layer of paint – it begins to fissure when people realize the team is playing but no one can see them. There is a counter-intuitive angle: if Vietnam fails to secure the rights, could this be an opportunity for streaming platforms to step in? OTT services are growing rapidly and may offer lower prices targeting younger viewers. But that is a gamble. For now, an empty stadium does not take away the roar; it only makes us hear the sigh from the coaching bench more clearly. I believe that, in the short term, a major broadcaster will close the deal at the last minute and sub-license to local stations. But for the Asian Games, the chances of a blackout are higher. This is an unsolved puzzle for Vietnamese football: we have a strong team, but lack the media infrastructure to connect with fans. And when history breaks, it often starts with invisible cracks like this.