Vietnam steps up crackdown on pirate football streaming sites ahead of World Cup 2026

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has ordered authorities nationwide to strengthen enforcement against intellectual property violations from Thursday to May 30, according to a government directive signed by Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung.

The Ministry of Public Security was instructed to investigate and prosecute serious copyright infringement cases and dismantle high-traffic piracy websites and the organizations operating them, particularly platforms illegally streaming international sports and football tournaments.

Vietnamese authorities had previously dismantled several large-scale illegal football streaming networks, including Xoilac TV, by March.

The platform was accused of illegally rebroadcasting sports content owned by licensed rights holders, particularly international sporting events, while also directing users to gambling-related platforms through advertisements and embedded links.

The crackdown comes as Vietnam prepares for heightened demand for football broadcasts during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which takes place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

State broadcaster Vietnam Television (VTV) currently holds the exclusive rights to broadcast the tournament in Vietnam and is also responsible for licensing public screenings at restaurants, cafés, cinemas, shopping malls, and entertainment venues.

Officials and broadcasters have warned businesses and viewers against using unauthorized streams or pirated links for commercial screenings of World Cup matches.

At a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on April 29, the Vietnam Television Center in southern Vietnam promoted the message ‘Watch Right - Watch Clean,’ urging viewers to access World Cup broadcasts only through authorized platforms and reject pirated signals and illegal retransmissions.

Sports copyright infringement, particularly involving football tournaments such as the World Cup, UEFA Euro, and UEFA Champions League, has remained rife in Vietnam for years, causing losses for licensed broadcasters.

In 2016, Vietnam Cable Television (VTVcab) suspended broadcasts of the UEFA Champions League during the decisive stage of the 2015-16 season because of contractual issues linked to widespread copyright violations in the country.