According to Mr. Luu, a football fan in Hanoi, he doesn’t avoid paying for Premier League subscriptions due to cost - but because pirated sites offer far more engaging content.

“These illegal channels have decent video quality, interactive charts, and fun commentary,” he said. “It’s something you just don’t get from official platforms like VTV or K+.”

A senior executive at a paid television service agreed, explaining that illegal sites are able to tap into raw football passion - with shouting, personalized experiences, even live betting features integrated into streams.

Why are piracy platforms flourishing in Vietnam?

This question looms large over the media market.

A cybersecurity expert noted that streaming piracy is not a matter of enthusiasm or goodwill - it’s a form of organized cybercrime.

These illegal sites often embed malware, steal banking credentials, and host ads promoting gambling, adult content, or fraud.

A recent statement from Premier League’s management cited research by Professor Paul Watters, a cybersecurity expert, who found that most pirated platforms are riddled with malicious software or scams.

His study revealed that in Vietnam, such sites are nearly 10 times more likely to infect users’ devices compared to official platforms.

Around 72% of pirate websites contained malware or fraudulent content. Meanwhile, 95% of ads on these sites were deemed harmful.

Pirated apps can steal personal data, hijack internet connections, and entangle users in criminal investigations.

“Pirate streaming sites don’t just violate copyrights - they pose serious cybersecurity risks,” said Professor Watters. “Our research shows that these sites are connected to digital infrastructure commonly exploited by cybercriminals for fraud, extortion, and other illicit activities.”

Devices used to stream illegal content may be quietly turned into nodes in global cybercrime networks, putting even private households at risk.

Kevin Plumb, General Counsel of the Premier League, emphasized: “What may seem like harmless streaming actually exposes users to dangers far beyond poor video quality. Research consistently shows that accessing pirated sites and devices comes with serious risks. We are working closely with broadcasters and law enforcement across nations to crack down on these operations. But piracy is a constantly evolving and increasingly sophisticated threat.”

Vietnamese broadcasters face a ‘black ecosystem’

FPT, which previously held broadcasting rights for the Champions League in Vietnam, experienced firsthand how piracy can erode a legitimate business model.

If FPT Telecom finalizes a deal for Premier League rights - an even more expensive and high-demand product - the pressure to combat piracy will intensify.

In fact, its main rival may not be other OTT platforms but the entire “black ecosystem” that’s long provided free access to millions of Vietnamese fans.

The costs are immense: rising content rights fees, production budgets, commentary teams, infrastructure, marketing, and more.

K+ reportedly experienced a steady decline in subscribers, one of the key reasons it’s now expected to exit the Vietnamese market - though no official announcement has been made.

Adding to the challenge is the local audience’s low willingness to pay and long-standing habits of watching football for free.

With OTT accounts frequently shared among friends, families, or entire coffee shops, FPT will need to invest in advanced technologies to protect its content - such as watermarking, device restrictions, concurrent stream limits, and anomaly detection.

It will also have to collaborate directly with the Premier League to trace leaks from legitimate sources.

These are expensive undertakings, but unavoidable.

The legal enforcement gap

Even with global initiatives like the Premier League’s “Boot Out Piracy” campaign and public cybersecurity warnings, cracking down on pirate sites remains difficult.

These platforms hide on international servers, rotate domain names and IP addresses, and often evade detection for long periods.

FPT - and any legitimate broadcaster - shouldn’t fight this battle alone. Real progress will require a coordinated effort involving regulators, OTT services, media outlets, and enforcement agencies.

The Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and other authorities must support measures like DNS blocking, domain revocation, and penalties for companies advertising on illegal platforms.

Telecom carriers will also need to restrict access based on regulatory directives.

And critically, collaboration with the Premier League, Interpol, and international copyright organizations is essential.

Without strong enforcement, any legitimate investment in Premier League rights could be undercut by pirate channels operating a few overseas servers serving hundreds of thousands of viewers.

To make EPL a long-term growth lever, not a burden

If FPT or any future rights holder wants the EPL to be a growth engine - not a financial burden - they must rethink their strategy.

Instead of offering a single-price subscription, the company should consider multiple pricing tiers and packages.

Users should be offered exciting and exclusive content: top-tier commentary, short-form videos, tactical breakdowns, podcasts - features that only official rights holders can legally produce.

Done right, this could gradually reshape viewer habits and restore the value of legitimate sports broadcasting in Vietnam.

Thai Khang