Why does Vietnam not yet have broadcasting rights for FIFA ASEAN Cup and Asiad?

Just a few months away, the Vietnam national team will enter one of the most intense periods: the group stage of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 and immediately after, the 20th Asian Games in Indonesia. But unlike the readiness on the pitch – coach Kim Sang Sik has finalized the training plan – behind the scenes, the story of broadcasting rights is a huge unknown. Fans face the risk of not being able to watch these matches live on any channel. This is not simply a matter of buying and selling, but a consequence of a major structural shift in how FIFA operates regional tournaments, putting all of Southeast Asian football in a difficult position.

Context: In recent years, FIFA has gradually centralized the organization and commercial exploitation of regional tournaments, including the ASEAN Cup. Previously, this tournament was run by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), and broadcasters in the region negotiated directly with AFF. But now, FIFA stands as the rights seller, and this completely changes the game. A Vietnamese broadcaster leader told VietNamNet that the purchase of FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 rights is 'almost finalized', but for the Asiad it is completely different: 'very difficult' and 'cannot be completed'.

Core Analysis: * FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 group stage: Vietnam will face the Philippines (26/9 in Bandung), then Thailand (three days later), and Pakistan (2/10 in Jakarta). This is a packed schedule, requiring coach Kim Sang Sik to rotate the squad maximally. But the problem is not on the field. The entire Southeast Asian region currently has no entity owning the broadcasting rights for this FIFA-organized tournament. That means not only Vietnam, but also Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia are in the same situation: no one has bought them.

• Why is this the case? Regional broadcasters want to buy at a 'reasonable' price, but FIFA offers a price and conditions package that is much more complex than during the AFF era. A broadcaster leader said: 'FIFA organizing it makes the negotiation more complex.' On Vietnam's side, a major TV station is close to an agreement, and if successful, they will sub-license to domestic channels for wide coverage. However, until the official signature, the risk remains.

• Asiad 20 – a tougher challenge: The Asiad is a multi-sport games with a huge scale (43 sports, 469 events). Broadcasting rights are usually sold in huge packages, exceeding the capacity of individual countries. In Asia, the negotiation process for Asiad 20 rights is at an impasse, not only for Vietnam. 'Very difficult, still cannot be completed,' the broadcaster leader admitted. This means fans may not be able to watch live the sports in which the Vietnam delegation aims to win 4-6 gold medals and enter the top 20.

Contrarian Angle: Many think the fault lies with Vietnamese broadcasters for not spending enough. But in reality, this is a systemic issue. FIFA has centralized power and priced the ASEAN Cup product higher than the market accepts. The entire Southeast Asian region cannot buy – that is a sign of a value mismatch, not individual weakness. For the Asiad, the impasse is common because multi-sport rights packages are always very expensive and rarely bought in full by a single market. The typical solution is for broadcasters to buy smaller packages, or use highlights, delayed coverage. But fans always want to watch live.

Takeaway: This story reveals a reality: the commercial power of world football is increasingly concentrated in FIFA's hands, and smaller countries face a difficult puzzle regarding rights. For Vietnam, securing FIFA ASEAN Cup rights is feasible, but the Asiad is a bigger question. If both tournaments are not broadcast live, it will be a huge loss for fans and for sporting achievements. But perhaps, in difficulty, we will see new broadcasting models emerge, such as through online platforms? The future of sports television is changing, and Vietnam needs to find the fastest way to adapt. In my drawer, there are football notes older than the internet, but I have never seen a rights puzzle as tricky as this. The tactical board is just paper; the players are the ones who write the match. But if there is no TV signal, for whom will that match be written?