Broadcasting Rights for FIFA ASEAN Cup and Asiad: Why Vietnam Still Cannot Broadcast?

Vietnam has just won the Southeast Asian title, but fans risk not being able to watch the upcoming regional tournament – the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 – as well as the events of the Asian Games 20. Behind this story is a complex broadcasting rights negotiation, where FIFA holds control and the Southeast Asian market has no entity yet owning the rights. According to information from a leader of a major television station, Vietnamese broadcasters are negotiating with FIFA to buy the tournament rights at a 'reasonable price.' However, because the tournament is organized by FIFA instead of the AFF as before, the negotiation process has become 'much more complicated.' This has led to a situation where the entire Southeast Asian region has no entity owning the broadcasting rights, creating an unprecedented risk of a 'blackout.' On the team side, coach Kim Sang Sik has finalized the gathering plan, with a dense schedule: facing the Philippines (26/9), Thailand (29/9), and Pakistan (2/10). The three-match schedule in one week poses a major challenge for fitness and squad rotation. Notably, the appearance of Pakistan – a South Asian team – in the ASEAN Cup framework is unusual, suggesting the tournament format may have been expanded. Not only football, but the Asian Games 20 (taking place from September 19 to October 4) also faces a rights impasse. A television station leader commented: 'It's very difficult, too difficult to negotiate.' The Vietnamese sports delegation aims for 4-6 gold medals and a top-20 finish overall, but without the rights, fans will have to follow via alternative channels such as highlights or delayed broadcasts. The overlapping schedules of the FIFA ASEAN Cup and the Asian Games in the same period (late September, early October) further increases pressure on television stations. Meanwhile, FIFA wants to maximize commercial value, while the Vietnamese market is not yet ready to pay the high price. A feasible solution is for a major station to buy the original rights and then sub-license to local stations, but this remains uncertain. From a professional perspective, this is not purely a sports story, but a problem of media economics and rights governance. Without a last-minute deal, Vietnamese fans may have to experience a 'blind' sporting festival – something unprecedented in the history of the nation's football.