For the first time in history, the World Cup is held in three countries including the US, Canada and Mexico, gathering 48 teams with 104 matches. This could also be the last World Cup of many legends such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar or Luka Modric. With a series of special milestones, the 2026 World Cup is expected to become one of the most memorable World Cups in history.
Accompanying VTV in the role of National Sponsor (the highest sponsorship title) - Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank) and the ecosystem will bring many attractive activities, continuing to fulfill the mission of "serving the nation" and accompanying fans throughout the 2026 World Cup journey in Vietnam.
The opening match of the 2026 World Cup will take place between host Mexico and South Africa at 02:00 on June 12th at Estadio Azteca stadium.
Will Messi and Ronaldo'idols' continue to shine?
The 2026 World Cup may become a milestone of transition between the legends who have shaped modern football and the young generation of players ready to step up to the central position.
With Messi, the world championship in Qatar in 2022 has closed the journey to conquer the peak. He no longer has to prove anything to world football. With Ronaldo, he is still a symbol of will, aspiration and conquering spirit. Although time is not on his side, the Portuguese superstar is still one of the most attractive names on the planet.
Therefore, the 2026 World Cup may not simply be a tournament. For many fans, this is also the last chance to witness the two biggest symbols of modern football appearing on the World Cup stage.
However, football history has never stopped. As legends gradually retreat, the new generation is moving forward with the desire to create their own heritage.
One of the most watched talents is Lamine Yamal of Spain. When Messi first participated in the 2006 World Cup, Yamal was not even born. Twenty years later, they could appear together at a World Cup. Bukayo Saka is becoming the key spark of the England team. Endrick is expected to be the next young star of Brazilian football. Arda Guler represents the wave of young talents of Turkey. Désiré Doué continues to show the potential to become a future pillar of the French team.
Entering the peak of their careers, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are the brightest candidates for the position of successor to the Messi - Ronaldo era. Mbappe won the World Cup at the age of 19 and continuously proved his class in major tournaments. Meanwhile, Haaland is considered one of the most complete center forwards in the world today with a terrifying scoring ability.
Along with Vinicius Junior, Pedri, Florian Wirtz or Jamal Musiala, they create a new generation of stars promising to bring a different face to world football.
Techcombank and the ecosystem: From the aspiration to serve the nation to the "dream" of Vietnamese football
For Vietnamese fans, the World Cup is not just a sporting event. It is a place to inspire millions of children who love football, a stage for young generations of players to see the highest standards of the king sport.
The common point of most of the stars shining at the 2026 World Cup is that they have all grown up from well-organized youth training systems.
Yamal came from La Masia. Endrick is a typical product of Brazil's youth training. Each player is the result of long-term investment, perseverance and a clear strategy. That is also an important lesson for Vietnamese football.
Recently, U17 Vietnam won the right to participate in the 2026 U17 World Cup, creating more faith for the future. However, the gap between levels is still very large and the World Cup dream cannot be built in a few years. It starts from school football fields, youth training centers, age tournaments and passion nurtured every day.
The positive signals of the Vietnamese youth teams over the years show that football is going in the right direction. Although the journey ahead is still long, the desire to participate in the World Cup in the future is still present. From that perspective, the full access of Vietnamese fans to the biggest football festival on the planet is meaningful beyond the entertainment framework.
In the journey to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup closer to Vietnamese audiences, Techcombank and its ecosystem, represented by Masterise Group, have accompanied in the position of national sponsor - the highest sponsorship title - with Vietnam Television (VTV) to bring the broadcasting rights of the tournament to millions of domestic fans.
Techcombank and the ecosystem are also preparing many attractive sideline activities for customers and audiences, promising many interesting things, igniting the passion for football at all ages. Who knows, among the millions of Vietnamese children watching the 2026 World Cup today, there will be players participating in a Vietnamese World Cup in the future, continuing to ignite faith, nurture aspirations and inspire dreams that seem very far away to become achievable goals.
