A survey by SGGP reporters on the afternoon of August 25 around the headquarters of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) found the secondary ticket market heating up by the hour.
A pair of tickets with a combined face value of VND1.5 million was being offered for as much as VND8 million, more than five times the original price. Tickets originally priced at VND1.2 million were being resold for about VND6 million a pair, while VND800,000 tickets were fetching around VND4.5 million. Tickets with a face value of VND500,000 were being offered for VND1.5 million a pair.
The steep premiums underscore the enormous demand for seats at My Dinh National Stadium, particularly after Vietnam secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg. With supply limited, fans unable to obtain official tickets have increasingly turned to the secondary market.
The black market has also been fueled by the VFF's decision not to conduct direct ticket sales, as it did for the second-leg semifinal against Malaysia. All final tickets were sold online, leaving many unsuccessful buyers searching for alternatives.
Scalpers were visible along Le Quang Dao and Le Duc Tho streets, as well as outside My Dinh Stadium and the VFF headquarters. Around a dozen sellers were carrying bundles of tickets and actively approaching potential buyers. Anyone stopping to inquire about prices was quickly surrounded by two or three sellers.
The VFF has urged ticket holders to safeguard their tickets and comply with all stadium regulations. Spectators who fail to meet entry requirements may be denied admission without a refund.
Players struggle to secure extra tickets
Even Vietnam's players have struggled to obtain additional tickets for relatives and friends. With the team one step away from the ASEAN Cup title, many players hope their families can be in the stands to share what could become a defining moment in their careers.
The VFF has provided each player with a pair of complimentary tickets in Stand A and offered support in purchasing additional seats. However, the allocation remains insufficient for players seeking tickets for more family members and friends.
Forward Dinh Bac also acknowledged the difficulty of finding tickets amid the frenzy. At a pre-match press conference, Head Coach Kim Sang-sik said his phone had been flooded with requests for tickets, joking that he might have to "turn it off."
The second leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup final between Vietnam and Thailand will kick off at 8 p.m. on August 26 at My Dinh National Stadium.
