Bangkok: The Thailand U23 national team has returned to Thailand after completing their mission at the Asian Championship. Coach Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul led the Thai U23 national team back to Thailand after completing their mission at the Asian Championship. They are now preparing to summarize the results with the Football Association of Thailand and the technical department.
According to Thai News Agency, the Thailand U-23 national team returned to Thailand this morning after completing the AFC U-23 Asian Championship finals in Saudi Arabia. They lost 1-2 to Australia, drew 1-1 with Iraq, and drew 0-0 with China, resulting in their elimination from the group stage.
Upon arrival, head coach Thawatchai Damrongongtrakul, nicknamed "Coach Wang," stated that the goal was to reach at least the quarterfinals, but this was not achieved. However, he noted that the tournament showcased the potential of many players to perform well on the Asian stage and to become key players for the next generation.
Coach Wang is preparing to meet with the Football Association of Thailand and the technical department to summarize the results from the first camp in Indonesia to Saudi Arabia. It is believed that the technical department will have identified issues regarding team preparation, selecting appropriate players, and scheduling matches to ensure players can participate in both club and national team competitions without overlapping schedules.
The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) held the draw ceremony for the 2026 ASEAN Football Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia. Anthony Hudson, head coach of the Thai national team, attended the ceremony. The results showed that seven-time champions Thailand are in Group B alongside Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Laos. Group A will include Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and either Brunei or Timor-Leste. The tournament will follow the previous format: a group stage with two home and two away matches, with the group winners advancing to the semi-finals. The knockout rounds will also be played over two legs each. The tournament will take place from July 24th to August 26th, 2026.