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By 11 p.m. on July 7, when the match kicked off, more than 40 customers had packed into a bar on Hang Buom Street in Hoan Kiem Ward. With no space left inside, late arrivals gathered around the entrance, filling the sidewalk and nearby streets.

Hien Giang, 37, of Giang Vo Ward, said she and her husband had watched the group-stage matches at home before deciding to head to Hang Buom Street for the knockout rounds and experience the lively atmosphere alongside foreign supporters.

With no seats available, the couple remained standing throughout the 90-minute match.

“Cheering with the crowd every time a goal was scored made me forget how tired my legs were,” she said, adding that they planned to return for the remaining matches.

Unable to squeeze inside, Hong Phuc, 40, of Hong Ha Ward, parked his motorbike by the curb and watched the match from the street.

He said he chose the venue because its five large screens and energetic atmosphere made the experience much more exciting than watching alone at home.

“I celebrated Egypt’s second goal in the 70th minute by hugging several foreign fans, even though we didn’t share a common language,” he said.

A Read survey on the night of July 7 found that dozens of bars, pubs and beer shops along Ta Hien and Hang Buom, two of Hanoi’s busiest backpacker streets, had installed additional televisions, LED screens and projectors to accommodate football fans.

However, most venues were too small to meet demand, leaving crowds ranging from dozens to hundreds of people gathered outside to follow the matches.

Several hundred fans assembled outside SportivO bar on Hang Buom Street for the Argentina–Egypt game. A representative said the venue had welcomed more than 1,000 fans a day since the World Cup began.

The venue has previously welcomed groups of English supporters singing football chants and Norwegian fans celebrating with synchronized rowing gestures.

“Foreign visitors often arrive in large groups and bring their own distinctive ways of supporting their teams,” a shop representative said.

Standing on the sidewalks and streets of Hanoi’s old streets to watch the World Cup

Briton Ethan Regan, 21, arrived early at a bar on Ta Hien Street to secure a good viewing spot. He even postponed a flight to Thailand so he could remain in Vietnam and continue watching the tournament.

“I’ve been visiting local bars every day for the past week, and the people here have been incredibly welcoming,” he said.

Regan said he was surprised to see residents placing televisions outside their homes and gathering with neighbors to watch the matches.

In the U.K., people generally watch football in pubs, many of which require reservations weeks in advance, while crowds usually reach this size only when the national team progresses deep into a tournament, he said.

“The celebrations overflow into the streets, with everyone staying up late or waking up early together. It creates the feeling of one close-knit community.”

Pouring onto the street to watch the World Cup in Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Associate Professor Pham Ngoc Trung, former dean of the Faculty of Development Culture at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, said Vietnam’s enthusiasm for the World Cup had created a welcoming environment in which foreign visitors could easily celebrate alongside local fans, regardless of which team they supported.

The sight of an English visitor watching football from the sidewalk or a French tourist cheering over a cup of coffee reflects Vietnam’s openness and its ability to welcome people from different backgrounds, he said. “By sharing the experience of watching football, they are embracing and becoming part of the local way of life.”