The road to China 2027 is set, with the AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers scheduled for 31 August to 6 September 2026.
The qualification journey begins soon. Which ASEAN nation will make its mark on the road to China 2027?
AFC U20 ASIAN CUP CHINA 2027™ QUALIFIERS — GROUPS CONFIRMED
FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO TO PRESENT ASEAN HYUNDAI CUP 2026 TROPHY
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, alongside FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrรถm, will attend the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 Final at My Dinh National Stadium on August 26.
Infantino will join AFF and VFF officials in presenting the trophy to the new champions after the second-leg clash between Vietnam and Thailand
PEA U21 YOUNGSTER LEAGUE 2026/27
The competition management department of the Football Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage announces the schedule for the PEA U21 YOUNGSTER LEAGUE 2026/27 season for member clubs to be aware of and take necessary actions.
"Chang FA Cup" football competition, 2026/27
On August 25, 2026, "Chang Natural Mineral Water," in collaboration with the Football Association of Thailand, held the draw ceremony for the Chang FA Cup 2026/27 qualifying round.
For the 2026/27 Chang FA Cup season, 82 clubs have confirmed their participation, divided as follows: 16 teams from Thai League 1, 12 teams from Thai League 2, 32 teams from Thai League 3, 13 teams from the Thailand Semi-Pro League, and 9 FA Membership clubs.
The qualifying rounds will feature 12 teams from Thai League 2, 32 teams from Thai League 3, 13 teams from the Thailand Semi-Pro League, and 9 FA Membership clubs. Due to the 82 participating clubs, 30 teams will receive a bye in the qualifying rounds, leaving 36 teams to compete in a final round to determine the 18 winners. This brings the total to 48 teams, who will advance to the final 64 (along with the 16 Thai League teams). The final round will take place on September 22-23, 2026.
The Chang FA Cup 2026/27 football tournament is a competition with a long history. The winning team will receive a prize of 5,000,000 baht and the right to participate in the AFC Champions League ELITE League Stage 2027/28. The runner-up will receive 1,000,000 baht. In addition, "Chang Natural Mineral Water" will also present a special "Chang Sportsmanship Award" to athletes who demonstrate good sportsmanship throughout the tournament.
AFC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2026/27
The lineup for the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026/27 Group Stage is now complete!
Naegohyang (Defending Champions)
Melbourne City
Hwacheon KSPO
Kobe Leonessa
Beijing Jingtan
Hแป Chรญ Minh City
QUALIFIED FROM THE PRELIMINARY STAGE:
Bam Khatoon
Kaya–Iloilo
East Bengal
April 25
Nasaf
Ayeyawady
Thailand U20 Men's - National Football Team
Here is the schedule for the Thailand U20 men's national football team in the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers
BYD Thailand to organize the “BYD VARIENCE COURSE”
Upgrading VAR refereeing in preparation for the start of the Thai League 2026/27 season.
The Football Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage, in collaboration with BYD Auto (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Revรฉ Automotive Co., Ltd., the official distributor and after-sales service provider of BYD and Denza new energy vehicles in Thailand, under the Revรฉ business group and the official main sponsor of the Thai national football team, is preparing to organize the “BYD VAR EXELLENCE COURSE” to train, review, and develop the capabilities of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) referees in 2026. The training will take place from August 24–28, 2026, at the VAR laboratory of the Football Association of Thailand.
This training is a crucial part of preparing VAR personnel for the BYD C-Lions Six League One (Thai League 1) and BYD C-Seal Five League Two (Thai League 2) professional football seasons of 2026/27, scheduled to begin in September. Participants will be able to apply the knowledge, skills, and experience gained from the training to their duties throughout the new season.
The “BYD VAR EXELLENCE COURSE” aims to review the latest Laws of the Game and VAR Protocol, as well as develop incident analysis skills and improve decision-making speed, in order to provide more accurate and efficient performance in real-world situations.
Furthermore, the program aims to improve communication efficiency between VAR referees and on-field referees, as well as simulate technical problem-solving scenarios and situations under pressure that may occur during actual matches. This will enable officials to handle various situations quickly and systematically.
The training covers both theoretical and practical aspects. The theoretical part includes updates on IFAB regulations, clip analysis, and a review of communication principles, while the practical part utilizes a VAR simulator to simulate real-world match situations, both offline and short matches.
The project involves a total of 104 participants, who are personnel who will be performing duties in the Thai League 1 and Thai League 2 competitions.
There are 44 VAR (Video Assistant Referee) referees.
There are 52 Assistant Video Assistant Referees (AVAR) certified referees.
Six Replay Operators (ROs) are required.
Two trainers and training staff members.
The training will take place from August 24–28, 2026. The theoretical part will be held in the Association's meeting room, while the practical part will be held at the VAR Simulator room of the Football Association of Thailand.
Participants in the program will be assessed in both knowledge and practice through pre-tests and post-tests, as well as evaluated in a simulator room on event analysis, communication, and the use of VAR tools, to ensure that they are well-prepared before being used in actual matches.
Upon completion of the project, an evaluation of the trainees will be conducted, and a project report will be compiled to serve as data for the continuous development and improvement of the performance standards of VAR referees. This upgrading of VAR personnel is therefore not just preparation for the new season, but a crucial mechanism for establishing effective performance standards, building confidence among football clubs, players, media, and fans in the Thai professional football league's officiating system, and continuously elevating performance to meet international standards.
The Referee Development Department of the Football Association of Thailand believes that the “BYD VAR EXELLENCE COURSE” will be a crucial part in preparing VAR and AVAR referees before entering the BYD C-Lion Six League One (Thai League 1) and BYD C-Seal Five League Two (Thai League 2) 2026/27 seasons. The aim is to ensure that referees understand the current rules and VAR protocols, maintain consistent standards of work, and can effectively apply the knowledge gained from the training in their actual duties.
Summary of results from Matchweek 15 of the MEA Futsal Thai League 2026.
The 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The organizing committee for the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Saudi Arabia has announced the 12 national teams that have qualified for the men's futsal competition. As expected, the Thai men's futsal team, ranked 11th in the world, is included, aiming for their first-ever gold medal.
For the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, the host nation will select teams based on the FIFA Futsal World Ranking, announced on May 8, 2026. Saudi Arabia, as the host nation, will automatically qualify for the competition.
Kazakhstan, a member of UEFA but also a member of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), is eligible to participate in the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, as this event is organized by the OCA and not under the supervision of the AFC. Alternatively, Kazakhstan may choose not to send a team to the competition.
The list of 12 nations participating in the men's futsal event at the "Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2026" includes:
"Host" Saudi Arabia๐ธ๐ฆ *Ranked 41st in the world.
Iran *ranks 5th in the world.
Kazakhstan *Ranked 8th in the world.
Thailand *ranks 11th in the world.
Japan *Ranked 12th in the world.
Indonesia *Ranked 14th in the world.
Afghanistan *Ranked 21st in the world.
Vietnam *Ranked 22nd in the world.
Uzbekistan *ranked 23rd in the world.
Iraq *ranked 24th in the world.
Kuwait *Ranked 43rd in the world.
Kyrgyzstan *Ranked 49th in the world.
The reserve teams are Tajikistan (53), Turkmenistan (69), South Korea (70), Lebanon (72), Myanmar (73) and Bahrain (75), which will be in the reserve order for this competition.
The 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games are scheduled to be held.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between December 11-21, 2026.
AFC Women’s Champions League 2026/27 Preliminary Stage — Matchday 1 Results
Preliminary Stage — Matchday 1 Results
AFC Champions League Elite / Two 2026/27 – Official Draw
"Anthonie Hasun" gave an interview after the second match of the 2026 ASEAN Cup semi-final round.
Anthonie Hasun, head coach of the Thai national football team, gave an interview after the second match of the 2026 ASEAN Cup semi-final round.
In that game, the Thai national team lost to Singapore 1-2, but the final score was 4-3, and they advanced to the final.
"First of all, I'm proud that the players were able to take the team to the final, achieving the goal. This team has a mix of young and senior players, and I'm proud of everyone. However, the result was disappointing. I think we could have done better, especially with the golden opportunity to equalize many times." Hasun said.
"For the final match, we have 3 days left. We have more time than the other team in the final. We will try to watch the team's performance today and try to correct the mistakes. There are some issues with the overall game that are off the mark in the first half, where the players were tired and had to substitute quite a few players due to cramps. But we have enough time for the final match. We have to admit that Singapore is strong. They faced Vietnam and Indonesia, and they created problems. Playing against them twice is a tough game. I'm not worried about preparing the team after this."
The style of play is always questioned, and the content in the game is not elaborated. However, the two games we have faced must be played within 3 days, not including travel time. There are new players who need to face teams that perform well in the group stage. The physical condition of each player cannot match the planned playing style. If the results do not go as planned, there will always be questions. This is the expectation of every fan. When we win a certain score, but in the end, we make it to the final. We have to play every 3 days during the pre-season, which is the pre-season period when we need to prepare our bodies. But we have to play continuously, so it's very difficult to create the football we want. I understand that setting expectations is normal. In the camp, people say that this team is heavily criticized. The players in the team probably won't go far, but we still make it to the final. I'm proud of every player, and we make it to the semifinals. I'm also proud that the seniors help us reach the final. Preparing the team every 2-3 days is also very proud.
The most important thing in the final round of the game is that we have more time than one opponent per day to prepare the team before the final round, which is a big difference. Many people may not understand the context that this competition is in the preseason and will face a strong opponent. On the first day when the athletes arrive, some have only been training with the club for a few days. Now, the athletes need to recover their bodies to play the first game of the final round to the fullest, which is what we want to do, and we need to prepare the plan. This game is an example of fatigue. The most important thing now is the preseason. Even if the athletes are not in good physical condition, we can still achieve our goals. There may be questions, but we can make it to the final round.
The tactics prepared to face both matches against Singapore are not different in the same way. The difference is that the development of the athletes and the Singaporean national team has been good. They have been good since the Asian Cup, where they made it to the final. The two matches we have to face, including Singapore, have also had good performances in the group stage. I think Singapore has now changed. We must give credit to Kevin Lee for his great performance and for having fans coming to cheer and support. I believe Singapore is now on a good path and will become even stronger in the future.
The next match for the Thai national team will be the 2026 ASEAN Cup final, the first match against the winner between Vietnam or Malaysia at the King Mongkut Sports Stadium on August 22, 2026, at 20:00.
4 NATURALISED JDT PLAYERS TO BE REGISTERED AS LOCAL PLAYERS
Following the arrival of Gabriel Palmero, four Malaysia-naturalised players at JDT can be registered as local players in Liga Malaysia under the country's current nationality regulations.
The situation has sparked debate within Malaysian football, with some fans arguing that the rule could give JDT a significant advantage over other clubs, particularly amid ongoing controversy surrounding the players' eligibility documentation.
JDT's four naturalised Malaysian players:
๐ช๐ธ Jon Irazรกbal
๐ช๐ธ Gabriel Palmero
๐ณ๐ฑ Hector Hevel
๐ง๐ท Joรฃo Figueiredo
All four are now Malaysian citizens. However, citizenship and eligibility to represent the national team are separate matters. If they do not meet FIFA's ancestry-related eligibility requirements, they would need to satisfy the five-year continuous residency requirement in Malaysia before becoming eligible to represent the national team.
Meanwhile, Liga Malaysia currently allows up to seven foreign players on the pitch at the same time.
JDT's naturalised-player strategy is therefore set to remain one of the biggest talking points ahead of the new season.
BREAKING | INDIA WITHDRAW FROM FIFA ASEAN CUP 2026
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially informed FIFA that India will not participate in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
Instead, India have chosen to prioritize their historic international friendly against five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil, scheduled for October 3.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey explained that the decision was made due to scheduling conflicts and FIFA international window limitations.
"We are unable to participate in the FIFA ASEAN Cup due to our commitment with the Brazil Football Federation."
India had been drawn into a group with Indonesia ๐ฎ๐ฉ, Malaysia ๐ฒ๐พ, and Singapore ๐ธ๐ฌ for the tournament.
According to the AIFF, opportunities to face Southeast Asian opponents will come again, while hosting Brazil is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian football.
LAOS REQUESTS INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE MATCH-FIXING
The Lao Football Federation (LFF) has officially requested the Lao Police Department to investigate suspected match-fixing involving members of the Laos national team during the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026.
In an official letter dated August 7, 2026, the LFF asked authorities to investigate the conduct of players and other individuals involved to determine whether any criminal or disciplinary violations had occurred.
Laos lost all four of their group-stage matches:
4 Matches, 4 Defeats
3 Goals Scored
20 Goals Conceded
3 Red Cards
2 Own Goals
The LFF has not officially accused or identified any individual player. The federation is seeking an official investigation into the allegations.
Match-fixing has long been regarded as one of the biggest challenges facing Lao football, with previous cases having seriously impacted the country's football development.
AFC Champions League Elite / Two 2026/27
AFC Champions League Two 2026/27
East Region – Stage Clubs Confirmed!
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