Miss Vietnam 2026 and the National Super Cup: A Stage for Marketing or Football?

53 contestants of Miss Vietnam 2026 appeared at the THACO National Football Super Cup 2026/26 between Hanoi Police Club and Ho Chi Minh City Police Club, wearing red flag with yellow star shirts, taking photos with players such as Quang Hai, Tien Linh, Thanh Binh, Ngo Dang Khoa, Patrik Le Giang. The event quickly went viral on social media, but the match's tactical content was completely absent. This is the first time a large-scale beauty pageant has attended a top-tier Vietnamese football match. I believe in the silence between two data points: there are no data on goals, assists, or possession. Instead, all we see are smiles, red shirts, and status updates. From the perspective of someone who has followed Asian football for 50 years, this is not a tribute to football, but a sophisticated cross-promotion campaign. Sponsor THACO and the Miss Vietnam organization have created a 'shadow contract' – where the real signature is not on paper, but in the number of online interactions. The selected players – Quang Hai (peak of his career), Tien Linh, Patrik Le Giang (famous through his public relationship with MC Hoang Oanh) – are all media magnets. They don't need to score to create waves. This exposes an uncomfortable truth: modern football is being entertainmentized to the point where the match itself can become a backdrop for side events. I don't oppose marketing. But when a sporting event is only covered through the lens of beauty, I ask: who is the real audience? Pure football fans may feel disrespected. They come to the stadium to watch the game, not beauty queens. The organizers say three things: one true (increase viewership), one false (honor football), one for later defense (broaden audience). But history shows that fleeting gimmicks rarely leave a legacy. However, I must admit this is a clever commercial move. The Super Cup is usually a season opener with low attention. With 53 contestants, each is a personal media channel. They brought football to a young female audience ordinarily unfamiliar with V.League. If this helps increase long-term viewership, it's positive. But I doubt it: will those girls come back for a second match? Rumor court: there are no rumors here, only the bare truth of an entertainment industry devouring sports. I sit in a seat the actors don't know – and the actors here are Vietnamese football. Conclusion: This event is a test of the power of cross-promotion. But if V.League continues to swap substance for glamour, risk will follow. The remaining question: after the beauty queens leave, will the audience stay?