From June 12 to July 20, FIFA World Cup 2026 will be officially broadcast in Vietnam on VTV, MyTV, TV360, VTVCab, SCTV, and FPT Play.

At the same time, illegal digital streaming platforms such as XoilacTV and ThapcamTV are also preparing for a fierce competition to attract viewers.

A television industry expert told VietNamNet that the XoilacTV piracy ecosystem does not charge viewers directly. Instead, it generates revenue through online gambling and football betting operations.

"If you look at the amount of money flowing into football betting accounts during tournaments such as the English Premier League, you will see that Vietnamese users spend enormous sums on football betting and online gambling," the expert said.

The expert added that in many rural areas, numerous families have been forced to sell land or houses because their children became involved in online gambling and betting. These criminal networks are highly organized, handling everything from recruiting players to providing loan-sharking services and debt collection once victims fall into their traps.

Although law enforcement agencies have repeatedly shut down illegal operations, football piracy ecosystems such as XoilacTV continue to spawn new websites and are now "sharpening their claws" in anticipation of World Cup 2026. Many of these sites have already created dedicated World Cup 2026 sections and published match schedules.

Vietnam declares war on copyright infringement

As the digital economy and global content industries continue to expand, online copyright infringement has become one of the most serious challenges facing Vietnam's television, entertainment, and digital content sectors.

According to reports from regulatory authorities and anti-piracy organizations, online piracy has evolved far beyond small-scale violations and now operates as sophisticated cross-border networks generating billions of visits annually.

Reports from watchdog agencies and copyright protection organizations show that there are more than 400 Vietnamese-language websites distributing pirated films, television programs, and digital content. 

Football piracy websites alone recorded more than 1.5 billion visits during 2022-2023, while more than 200 pirated movie sites attracted approximately 120 million views each month. Vietnam is estimated to lose around $350 million annually due to digital copyright violations.

Recently, the Prime Minister issued an official directive calling for stronger action against intellectual property violations.

Under the directive, the Ministry of Public Security is tasked with coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to identify and dismantle large-scale online copyright infringement websites and the organizations operating them, particularly those providing pirated movies, music, mobile games, and television programs in Vietnamese and foreign languages, especially English.

The move demonstrates Vietnam's determination to combat copyright infringement and tighten oversight of cross-border content distribution on OTT and streaming platforms.

Using technology to block pirate platforms

Three years ago, the Ministry of Information and Communications (now the Ministry of Science and Technology) worked with broadcasters and telecommunications providers to address the growing problem of illegal streaming platforms in Vietnam.

One proposal was to establish a specialized copyright enforcement task force with the participation of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Public Security, telecommunications operators and ISPs.

An ISP confirmed that the task force has carried out blocking measures against illegal streaming addresses. However, implementation has been inconsistent, with some ISPs enforcing restrictions less strictly than others in an effort to retain customers.

The provider also noted that there is still no comprehensive technological platform for blocking piracy, and infringement notifications are often communicated through official paperwork, limiting effectiveness. 

However, the company believes that with stronger involvement from government agencies, particularly the Ministry of Public Security, ISP-level blocking of pirate websites is entirely feasible.

Nguyen Ngoc Han, CEO of Thu Do Multimedia, told VietNamNet that technological solutions are essential if authorities and rights holders want to stop illegal streaming websites.

Such technologies can provide an integrated ecosystem covering signal acquisition, processing, distribution, user management, and digital copyright protection on a unified platform. This allows broadcasters, telecommunications operators, and digital content providers to strengthen control over and protection of their digital assets.

Han said that anti-piracy technologies do more than prevent revenue losses. Digital copyright protection also plays a crucial role in developing Vietnam's cultural industry.

When intellectual property rights are protected, businesses and creators gain greater confidence to invest in films, television programs, music, digital publishing, and other creative products over the long term. 

Du Lam