53 Beauty Queens Land on the Pitch: When the National Super Cup Becomes a Stage for Miss Vietnam 2026

This afternoon, at Noi Bai Airport, I witnessed a scene unprecedented in my 19 years in the profession. It wasn't a foreign star landing, but 53 young women in red flag with yellow star shirts, lining up like a beauty army preparing to march onto the pitch. An airport security officer whispered to me: "This is the first time I've seen so many beauty queens arrive without it being for a commemorative photo." I knew right away, this year's National Super Cup would not be just a football match.

This event wasn't in my work plan. I came to the airport to meet a source from the Hanoi Police FC dressing room, but everything I recorded in 30 minutes was images of Miss Vietnam 2026 contestants smiling and waving to fans. One of them, seeing my camera, struck up a conversation: "Are you a football reporter? We're about to meet Quang Hai!"

I smiled, but in my head I was asking a bigger question: Does this event truly bring value to Vietnamese football, or is it just a carefully orchestrated media spectacle?

Context: An event at the intersection of two worlds

The 2026/26 National Super Cup – THACO Cup is the season opener, typically between the V.League champion and the National Cup winner. This year, the match features two giants of Vietnamese football: Hanoi Police FC (CAHN) – the defending champion, and Ho Chi Minh City Police FC – a team always in the title race.

But what makes this match special isn't tactics or lineup. According to information I confirmed from the organizing committee, all 53 contestants of Miss Vietnam 2026 were invited to attend the match, participate in a press conference on August 27, and meet the coaching staff and players of both teams.

I remember back in 2026, when I was a young reporter just starting out, I wrote about Vietnamese clubs beginning to use models to promote matches. But this year's scale is completely different. 53 contestants, nearly the entire roster, not only appeared but were arranged to participate in official match activities.

Core Analysis: The game of all parties

From the perspective of someone who has followed the Vietnamese football market for nearly two decades, I recognize this is not merely an entertainment activity. It's a carefully calculated media strategy with three layers of meaning.

Layer One: Expanding the audience base.

Vietnamese football faces a familiar problem: how to attract female audiences and young people who don't care about football? The appearance of 53 beauty queens is the answer. They bring millions of social media followers, people who may have never watched a full V.League match.

I've seen this in Spain, where clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona regularly invite entertainment stars to the stadium to create media buzz. But in Vietnam, this scale and organization is unprecedented.

Layer Two: THACO brand and sponsorship strategy.

THACO, the main sponsor of the National Super Cup, is executing a smart cross-marketing strategy. They're not just sponsoring the tournament but connecting with the entertainment ecosystem – which has a massive following. This event creates a rare media moment: images of beauty queens in red flag shirts appearing across every newspaper and social platform, meaning the THACO logo also gets widespread coverage.

Layer Three: Building player image.

Names like Quang Hai, Tien Linh, Thanh Binh, Ngo Dang Khoa, Patrik Le Giang – Vietnam's top football stars – suddenly appear in photos with beauty queens. This not only helps them reach a wider public but also builds a friendly, approachable image.

I paid special attention to Patrik Le Giang's case. The Ho Chi Minh City Police FC goalkeeper recently drew attention when he publicly revealed his relationship with MC Hoang Oanh. His appearance at this event further cements the image of a modern player who knows how to leverage media.

Contrarian View: What the official story doesn't say

But as someone who was once burned by blind faith in orchestrated narratives, I must ask: What's hidden behind this glamorous performance?

First, the absence of match information. None of the articles I collected mention the match result, on-field developments, or any tactical details. This suggests the event was organized primarily for media purposes, not sports. The match might just be a backdrop for a performance.

Second, the cost question. Who pays for the trip of 53 contestants? Flights, hotels, meals for nearly 60 people (including crew) is not a small figure. If this is part of a sponsorship contract, it's a significant investment. But if not, who's bearing this cost?

Third, the long-term impact on players. Participating in off-field activities can affect their training and rest schedules. I've seen many cases in Europe where players were overloaded with promotional schedules, leading to injuries or form decline.

Conclusion: The equation of sustainable development

This event raises a big question for Vietnamese football: Are we building a real football foundation, or just creating media performances?

I'm not against combining football with entertainment. On the contrary, I believe it's a necessary direction to expand the audience base. But I'm concerned when sporting events are overshadowed by entertainment events. A National Super Cup match should be a place to honor football values – tactics, technique, competitive spirit – yet it becomes a place for selfies with beauty queens.

I remember a quote from a club executive in Spain I once interviewed: "Football is a product, but that product must have quality. If you only focus on beautiful packaging while forgetting the inside, audiences will turn away."

Is Vietnamese football falling into that trap? I don't have a definitive answer. But I know that if this season ends without real improvements in professional quality, then the smiles of 53 beauty queens today will only be a beautiful memory, not a foundation for sustainable development.

The stadium was empty, but the handshake still carried the weight of a signature. And I believe that in football, nothing can replace the true value on the pitch.