From copyright blanks to an unbreakable habit
Information from Hung Yen Provincial Police shows that the group operating the websites CakhiaTV, RakhoiTV, CaheoTV not only illegally broadcast international football tournaments but also prepared a plan to exploit the 2026 World Cup.
This shows that illegal football has become an organized activity, invested and calculated very early, instead of individual violations as before.
In fact, the existence of illegal football websites is not a new phenomenon. For many years, after each Champions League, Premier League, EURO or World Cup season, fans can easily find free live streaming links on social networks or unlicensed broadcast websites.
According to commentator Quang Tung, these platforms appear strongly at times when the market does not fully meet the football viewing needs of viewers.
Illegal websites appear at the right time, almost immediately meeting the needs of viewers to access television products. But over time, it creates a very difficult habit to correct because viewers feel it is easy, does not cost money and can access content freely," Mr. Quang Tung said.
From a temporary solution, watching illegal football has gradually become a familiar choice for a part of the audience. Many people are even no longer interested in which unit owns the copyright or which is the legal broadcasting platform. What they need is simply a free link before the ball rolls.
That habit has created "land to live" for illegally distributed websites for many years.
Will the 2026 World Cup be a turning point?
If in previous years the fight against illegal football mainly stopped at blocking websites or removing violating links, the case in Hung Yen shows that the approach is changing.
This time, functional agencies not only handle illegal broadcasting but also investigate the operating system, revenue sources and related activities such as organizing online gambling. This means that the cost of violations will be much higher than before.
This is considered an important factor because the characteristic of illegal football websites is the ability to "reborn" very quickly. A locked domain name can be replaced with a new domain name after only a few hours. If only the tip of the iceberg is the violating website, the race between functional agencies and operating entities is almost without an end point.
Conversely, when cash flow is controlled, accounts are frozen, and organizers face criminal liability, the attractiveness of this model will be significantly reduced.
According to commentator Quang Tung, the fact that functional agencies are strengthening the handling of pirated platforms will create more motivation for units that are seriously investing in sports copyright.
He believes that copyright holders have been and are spending a lot of resources to develop content ecosystems, from commentary, professional analysis to companion programs before and after matches. A healthy competitive environment will help these units continue to invest in product quality instead of having to constantly deal with illegal copying.
After the Xoilac TV and then CakhiaTV, RakhoiTV, CaheoTV and many other platforms were handled, a message is gradually becoming clearer: illegal broadcasting is no longer a "gray area" behavior that can blatantly exist indefinitely.
The 2026 World Cup will be a major test for sports copyright protection in Vietnam.
But the fact that large lines are detected right from the preparation stage for the tournament also shows that this battle is being pushed up earlier, instead of waiting until violations occur to find ways to prevent them.
That is perhaps the most positive sign for those who expect a more civilized and sustainable sports enjoyment environment in the future.
