VTV recently announced a roster of 12 Southern Vietnamese commentators who will provide coverage of the 2026 World Cup. The dedicated commentary feed will be available on VTV9, VTV10 and the VTVgo application, offering audiences an alternative to the traditional broadcast format.
For decades, World Cup coverage on VTV has largely featured commentators from northern Vietnam whose voices became closely associated with the tournament. The introduction of a Southern-accented commentary team represents a new direction for the national broadcaster as it seeks to diversify its presentation style and connect with viewers across the country.
According to VTV, the combination of experienced broadcasters and emerging talents, together with the distinctive style of Southern commentators, is expected to deliver a fresh viewing experience for football fans nationwide.
Among the new faces is Tô Nhật Minh, also known as commentator Tô Minh, a former English-major student at Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted in Gia Lai. Born and raised in the former Pleiku City, Minh developed a passion for football during his primary school years.
While many young fans focused on the players and the action on the pitch, Minh found himself equally fascinated by the voices behind the broadcasts. He admired commentators for their football knowledge, broad understanding of the sport and ability to bring matches to life for viewers.
“Whether a match is exciting or not depends in no small part on the commentator’s role. Since I was young, I loved listening to commentators and learning about them. That’s when I began to dream of one day becoming a football commentator myself,” Minh said.
Motivated by that ambition, Minh enrolled in the International Relations programme at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. His decision was partly influenced by the career path of commentator Anh Quân, who also studied International Relations before becoming a well-known football broadcaster.
Alongside his academic studies, Minh spent his university years refining his voice, expanding his football knowledge, contributing articles to sports publications and commentating on grassroots football tournaments.
He covered numerous local competitions across Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, Binh Duong and Dong Nai, gaining practical experience that helped sharpen his skills and strengthen his ambition of becoming a professional commentator.
After graduation, Minh joined SCTV Cable Television when the broadcaster was recruiting sports specialists. He initially worked in a range of roles, including editor, presenter and talk-show host, before moving into football commentary.
His commentary career began with a La Liga match between Alaves and Villarreal on March 14. More recently, he was assigned to cover the German Cup final between Bayern Munich and Stuttgart.
Now preparing for the biggest assignment of his career, the 24-year-old said he was both excited and aware of the challenges that come with covering the World Cup.
“As a young commentator with certain limitations, I am working hard to improve my skills. I never dared to dream of commentating at such a major event as the World Cup, so when this dream came true, I felt a bit nervous”, Minh said.
He noted that the expanded tournament, featuring 48 national teams from diverse cultural backgrounds, would place greater expectations on commentators tasked with connecting with a wide audience.
“I will give my utmost to fulfill my mission of igniting passion in every match”, he added.
The announcement has also generated excitement among football fans in Gia Lai. Nguyễn Đồng Hưng, a resident of Pleiku Ward, said he was proud to see a fellow local resident selected for the tournament.
“I have followed Minh’s commentary on many matches and am impressed by his enthusiasm, passion and football knowledge. When VTV announced the commentators for this World Cup, as a fellow Gia Lai native, I felt extremely proud and even more excited as the tournament approaches,” Hưng said.
