VIRESA officially secures esports rights for ASIAD 20 – Aichi-Nagoya 2026: A big step or a strategic puzzle?

On August 15, 2026, the Vietnam Recreational E-sports Association (VIRESA) announced that it holds the full esports rights for the 20th Asian Games (ASIAD 20) to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in 2026. The announcement was brief, with no financial terms, no specific game titles named – and no one asked what "full esports rights" actually means. We are celebrating a piece of paper that has not been read carefully. In the wave of celebration, I recall 2026 when the whole country rejoiced at the victory over Germany at the World Cup. I wrote then that it was not a miracle; it was the price of arrogance. Today, I want to say the opposite: VIRESA's acquisition of esports rights is not a destination but the beginning of a game where the white pieces have not yet seen the whole board. Because "rights" in esports differ from football broadcasting rights. It is squeezed between three layers of power: the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), game publishers, and the national federation. VIRESA has just received the thinnest and most dependent layer. ASIAD 20 will be held from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Esports remains on the official program, continuing from ASIAD 19 in Hangzhou, China. This confirms the mainstreaming of esports into the Olympic Movement. However, at Hangzhou, many problems emerged: limited title list, fragmented national team selection, and divided broadcast rights. Now VIRESA claims "full rights", but the first question must be: full rights for what? Broadcast rights in Vietnam? Commercial exploitation? Team accreditation? Or all of these, but within the framework set by OCA and the local organizing committee? To understand, we must separate three actors. First, the OCA decides the program and signs contracts with publishers. Second, publishers own the game IP; no federation can own a game. Third, national federations like VIRESA hold territorial media rights and national team management – the narrowest and most vulnerable layer. There is no disclosed partner, term, or territory. I see this as a positioning statement rather than a complete commercial contract. The absence of a game title list is the most frustrating point. Esports is not a single sport; it is a collection of completely different disciplines. At ASIAD 19, titles included League of Legends, Arena of Valor, PUBG Mobile, DOTA2, etc. Without knowing which titles Vietnam will field, any medal expectation is an illusion. The title slate is still under negotiation between OCA and publishers. We should wait for official announcements before evaluating Vietnam's prospects. VIRESA has three pillars: organizing tournaments, managing national teams, and representing internationally. But with rights come accountability: Can they broadcast for free? Must they pay fees back? Can they sublicense? Without clarity, rights are just a hat. The phrase "full rights" may be a marketing descriptor, not a legal one. A wise federation will use rights as a negotiation tool, quickly sign sub-licensing deals, and build a content campaign. Fans are not stupid; they know when they are blocked from watching. I don't listen to the crowd; I read the players' eyes. Their eyes are looking to Aichi-Nagoya with a real hope: to compete, to serve, and to be honored. In the regional landscape, Vietnam has a strong mobile-game identity but a gap in PC titles. If ASIAD 20 includes mobile games, Vietnam's chances improve; if not, they are thin. The decisive variable is the title slate, more than the rights seat. VIRESA's announcement is a ticket, not a medal. It gives Vietnam the initiative but also a heavy responsibility: transparency, professionalism, and turning rights into value for fans. Otherwise, we will have another early celebration and a bitter truth at the end. If you are right before your time, you are called a madman. If you are right after, you are a genius. This time, I do not want to be right.