Vietnamese football and the opportunity to break through with digital media.
From building fan communities and promoting club image to spreading the values of national teams, digital platforms are opening up opportunities for Vietnamese football to elevate its brand, increase its appeal, and develop in a more professional direction.
Báo Xây dựng•23/06/2026
A bridge between the team and the fans.
In modern football, a club's success is measured not only by titles or league position but also by its ability to build a loyal fan base.
Digital media has become a crucial bridge between clubs, players, and fans in this era of growth. Photo: VFF.
The rapid development of digital platforms is changing the way football teams connect with their fans, making media a crucial part of the professionalization process of Vietnamese football.
While previously the connection between clubs and fans was primarily maintained through matches in the stadium, social media has now expanded that connection many times over.
The official Facebook page of Nam Dinh Steel Green FC currently attracts over 169,000 followers. Each post related to the team, especially during the V.League championship period, often receives thousands of likes, comments, and shares. This shows that the team's influence is no longer limited to the local area.
Similarly, Hanoi FC maintains a multi-platform media ecosystem with hundreds of thousands of followers on Facebook and approximately 45,000 followers on Instagram. Through content about training, daily life, community activities, and behind-the-scenes matches, the capital city team maintains regular connection with fans even when the season is temporarily suspended.
Strategic investment
According to commentator Viet Hung, in a context where every individual can become a communication channel, utilizing social media to reach fans is an essential requirement for professional clubs.
"On-field achievements are a necessary but not sufficient condition for creating lasting appeal. Fans want to understand who the team is, what its identity is, and what values it pursues. When a club can tell its story in a compelling way, attracting spectators, sponsors, and partners will be easier," Mr. Hung commented.
However, digital communication is not simply about posting a lot of content or chasing short -video trends. The key is to build a long-term, synchronized, and consistent communication strategy.
In reality, some clubs in Vietnam have not yet invested adequately in their media department, viewing it as a supporting role rather than an integral part of their development strategy.
Meanwhile, modern football demands a media team that is both knowledgeable about the sport and proficient in digital platforms, capable of building player image and handling media crises when necessary.
Many teams still rely too heavily on the appeal of a few stars instead of building a collective brand. This makes fan bases highly volatile, fluctuating depending on a player's performance or transfer.
According to commentator Viet Hung, for sustainable development, clubs need to consider media as a strategic investment. By building a unique identity and maintaining regular connections with fans, the team not only increases brand value but also creates a solid foundation for long-term growth.
Proactively learn and build your brand.
According to Mr. Dao Viet Anh, the communications officer of Hanoi FC, the club always proactively learns from the experiences of many football models both within and outside the region.
Investing systematically in digital media is helping Vietnamese clubs and national teams gradually establish their brands. Photo: VFF.
Besides European teams, Southeast Asian clubs like Muangthong United, Johor Darul Ta'zim, and Buriram United are also valuable role models for building brands and connecting with fans. However, the learning process shouldn't be about copying, but rather adapting to local conditions.
For Hanoi FC, the club recognizes that each player is not just a competitor on the field but also an ambassador. Therefore, from speech to action, everything is guided by ethical conduct, contributing to spreading positive values to the community and fans.
This approach has helped Hanoi FC gradually build its own fan community, including a significant number of international supporters. The increasing presence of Hanoi FC jerseys on the central streets of the capital and among tourists is seen as proof of the team's brand's widespread appeal.
From a local club, Hanoi FC is aiming to become a cultural and sporting icon of the capital city, a place where, when people think of Hanoi, they not only think of tourism or cuisine but also of football.
Creating a foundation for sustainable development.
Not only the clubs, but the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is also stepping up the application of digital media to strengthen its connection with fans.
Ms. Truong Thi Thu Trang, the communications specialist of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), shared that online platforms are the main channel for disseminating information about Vietnamese football.
The VFF's media system operates synchronously across its official website and platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, ensuring that images of national teams, tournaments, and football activities are updated quickly, visually, and continuously.
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Thanks to the effective use of digital platforms, information about the Vietnamese national team and domestic tournaments is not only widely disseminated but also creates regular interaction between fans and players, coaching staff, and football management agencies. Behind-the-scenes content, training images, community activities, and short videos of players contribute to bringing football closer to the public, especially the younger generation.
Investing systematically in digital media not only enhances the team's image but also expands its audience, attracts sponsors, and lays the foundation for sustainable future growth.
At Hanoi FC, the effectiveness of digital media becomes clear when compared to the number of spectators attending matches in person. A Hanoi FC match at Hang Day Stadium typically attracts around 5,000-6,000 fans. Meanwhile, a video or post on a digital platform can reach tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people within just a few hours of being posted.
Thanks to this, fans in many different locations can still closely follow their favorite team, interact with players, and participate in online community activities.
![[Photo] Prime Minister Le Minh Hung presides over the thematic session on promoting science and technology development and innovation.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/06/23/1782207872934_ndo_br_dsc-1724-jpg.webp)
