From Signal Hunting to a Four-Year Anticipation
Before 1982, the World Cup was mainly accessible to Vietnamese audiences through newspapers, radio broadcasts, and recorded footage. It was not until the 1982 World Cup in Spain that a new viewing habit began to take shape.
At that time, the Hoa Sen satellite station in Kim Bang (Ha Nam) received signals from the Soviet Union and transmitted them to Vietnam Television. A similar relay system operated in Ho Chi Minh City to serve local audiences in the South.
Initially, the World Cup reached Vietnamese audiences sporadically, requiring late-night waits for broadcast signals. (Illustrative image)
From the 1982 tournament onward, VTV's journey of bringing the World Cup to Vietnamese viewers became smoother. By the 1986 and 1990 tournaments, broadcasts had become more stable, with more matches being aired and significantly improved signal quality. Viewers no longer had to “hunt for signals” but could watch scheduled broadcast.
Beyond Broadcasting the Matches
Over time, VTV has continuously diversified its content offerings, turning the World Cup into an unforgettable cultural experience for millions of viewers.
What was once a special occasion became routine, a highly anticipated event every four years. During this period, Vietnam Television gradually enhanced its broadcasting capabilities, expanded its channel system, and improved content quality, laying the foundation for modern sports broadcasting.
When the World Cup Became a “Television Brand”
By the 2000s, the World Cup evolved beyond the matches; it has become a true “cultural feast”. Sleepless nights spread beyond households to cafés, restaurants, and city streets.
However, alongside this growth came increasing pressure from broadcasting rights. Had earlier relay arrangements been more cooperative, rights would have become a true competition by the early 21st-century World Cup onward.
The value of rights increased with each edition.
A major turning point came between 2012 and 2014, when VTV fully transitioned to high-definition (HD) production and broadcasting. Starting with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, audiences experienced matches with sharper images, more vivid colors, and immersive sound. Football was no longer blurred by signal noise; it became cleaner than ever before. This completely transformed the viewing experience, bringing VTV’s broadcasts closer to international standards.
VTV reporters also began covering the World Cup on-site, delivering a more authentic sense of the global football festival to Vietnamese audiences.
While HD represented a leap in quality, the 2022 World Cup signified a shift in accessibility. For the first time, the tournament was broadcast simultaneously across multiple VTV platforms, including traditional television, VTV Digital (VTV Times) and the VTVgo app.
Audiences were no longer limited by location or device. The World Cup expanded from living room televisions onto smartphones and tablets, becoming part of everyday digital life. This transformation reflects VTV’s strong adaptation to the global trend of multi-platform media.
Over 40 Years with the World Cup: A Journey of Emotions
On the evening of April 13, exciting news was announced: VTV has officially obtained the broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Once again, this means audiences across the nation will be able to fully immerse themselves in the world’s greatest football festival this summer.
From the first unstable signals in 1982 to broadcasts becoming more complete in the early 1990s, to today's multi-platform ecosystem, Vietnam Television’s journey from black-and-white screens to HD reflects its continuous development.
Above all, however, it is a journey of serving audiences and meeting society's cultural and emotional needs. No matter how technology evolves or how costly broadcasting rights become, the ultimate goal remains unchanged: to b bring the World Cup closer to every Vietnamese viewer.
And what has remained constant over the decades is the emotion itself. Whether watching on a black-and-white TV in a shared courtyard or on a modern smartphone screen, the World Cup remains a “cultural feast” that unites the hearts of millions of Vietnamese people.
