On 24/6 at 11 PM, Quang Minh, a 28-year-old from Hanoi, joined five friends at a bar in Hoan Kiem ward to watch the World Cup. Minh had booked a table in advance for a match scheduled to start at 2 AM. In previous seasons, he typically watched games at home or in cafes, but this year he opted for late-night bars and pubs.

Minh explained his decision, stating, "Many cafes currently don't allow sidewalk seating and don't serve after 11 PM. Watching at a rented room would disturb others' sleep, so going to a bar is the best solution." For an enclosed, soundproofed, and air-conditioned space, Minh's group spent approximately 4 million VND for a night of football, which included drinks and snacks.

Quang Minh, 28 (second from right), watches football with friends at a bar in Hanoi, 25/6. *Photo: Quynh Nguyen*

For over a week, Phuong Trinh, a 22-year-old from Saigon ward, Ho Chi Minh City, has also chosen a sports bar to follow World Cup matches. As a woman who lacks friends with shared football interests, Trinh visits bars to enjoy the collective atmosphere. The bar also organizes additional games like billiards, darts, or score predictions during halftime. Since she doesn't consume alcoholic beverages, Trinh's expenses range from 200,000-300,000 VND per visit.

"The bar has many people with shared interests, so I find the atmosphere more enjoyable," Trinh said.

The trend of young people visiting bars, particularly sports bars, to watch late-night matches is becoming popular in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. On the social media platform Threads, posts sharing these experiences have garnered tens of thousands of interactions since the start of the season.

Football viewing atmosphere at a bar in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi, 25/6. *Photo: Nga Thanh*

This shift in customer habits has prompted nightlife establishments to adapt their operations. Minh Nhat, communications representative for ENTROPY bar in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi, stated that the venue initially planned to use LED screens to replay goals. However, the number of customers messaging to ask about live broadcasts doubled compared to normal days.

The customer base watching is primarily 18-35 years old, including international guests. Matches held from midnight to 3 AM on weekends typically attract 70-80 customers. Average spending ranges from several hundred thousand to one million VND per person. Nhat explained that the bar chose to keep the screens on but maintained background music to simultaneously cater to non-sports viewers.

At another bar in Saigon ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Nhat Minh, the owner, reported that revenue during the football season increased thanks to redesigning the music playlist and MC script. "On average, each major match attracts 50-70 customers in the early morning hours," he stated. To optimize operations, this establishment expands its activities, transforming into a coffee shop from 5 AM to serve office workers watching early matches.

Many young Vietnamese and international guests watch the World Cup at a bar in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi. *Photo: Xuan Truong*

Hoang Ha, a Master of Psychology at the Vietnam Women's Academy, observed that the phenomenon of young people gathering at bars to watch football reflects a need for communal spaces. According to him, this is an intersection between the desire for social media presence and the need for a collective emotional experience that watching alone at home cannot fulfill.

However, staying up late in noisy environments and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to physical exhaustion and create financial pressure on young people. Aware of these risks, Phuong Trinh stated that she only watches live matches on weekends to ensure work performance and control her drink intake to stay alert when leaving.

In contrast to Trinh, The Anh, a 26-year-old from Hanoi, decided to return to watching football at home after trying a bar once. "The music was too loud, completely drowning out the commentary, and the crowded space made me lose focus," The Anh recounted. This customer chose to return to 24-hour cafes or watching online at home to maintain focus on the match.

Nga Thanh - Quynh Nguyen