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| Football In Thailand | |
|---|---|
| 1st game in Country | |
 Ministry of Education XI vs British in Bangkok XI [1](1900) | |
| Governing body | Football Association of Thailand |
| Top leagues (National Leagues) | Thai League 1 Thai League 2 Thai League 3 Futsal Thai League Thai Women's League |
| FA Cup | Thai FA Cup |
| League Cup | Thai League Cup Thai League 3 Cup |
| Season starter | Thailand Champions Cup |
| International | |
| 1st international | |
Siam 4-0 French Indochina(Saigon; 16 April 1930) | |
| Men's team | Thailand |
| Women's team | Thailand ♀ |
| Boys' team (youth) | Thailand U-17 Thailand U-20 Thailand U-21 Thailand U-23 |
| Girls' team (youth) | Thailand U-17 ♀ Thailand U-20 ♀ |
| Stadium | Rajamangala Stadium (Capacity: 51,552) |
| International honours | |
| AFF Championship |  Gold (7) –1996,2000,2002,2014,2016,2020,2022 (men's) |
| AFC Women's Cup | Gold (1) –1983 (women's) |
Football is the most popular sport inThailand.[2][3] Approximately 30% of the people in Thailand are considered association football fans. In neighbouring countriesCambodia,Laos andMyanmar, the percentages are relatively comparable.[4]
Although the professional football leagues are new toThai people, football was introduced to Thailand as far back as 1897. Many Thais also watch football on local and paid-cable TV. Many matches, especially those in the EnglishFA Premier League can be watched free on local channels. Thai channels broadcast every match of the2006 World Cup.
Football in Thailand is organised byFootball Association of Thailand (FAT).
In 2007, Thailand co-hosted theAsian Cup 2007 with three other countries. This was the second time the event had been held in Thailand, the first being in1972.
The most popular football clubs in Thailand are Premier League clubsLiverpool andManchester United andThai League 1 clubBuriram United.[5]
Football was introduced into Thailand in 1897 by the Siamese-English Students. After that Football was popular in the Royal students and the Armies. First Association football matches in Thailand was held in 1900 by the English people in Siam between Bangkok Team against Ministry of Education Team. The result is 2-2.[6]In 1901 student association football tournament by Ministry of Education has established.
In 1915, first official association football club tournament in Siam was officially founded. It's call "The Royal Golden Trophy". Later this tournament becomes toKor Royal Cup. Later the first national team match has begun. The match between Siam National Team and Royal Sports Club by the English Players. The winner are the Siamese Footballer by 2-1
In 1916,King Vajiravudh founded "TheFootball Association of Thailand under Patronage of His Majesty the King."
The first Siamese match against National Team as long as can be founded by historical evidence was in 1930, between Siam andFrench Indochinese Union Team with the state visit ofKing Prajadhipok. The result is the big win for the Siamese for 4-0.[7]
After the1932 Revolution. The Royal Golden Trophy has been stopped by the Political reason asKhana Ratsadon is anti-imperialism ideology political group, the tournament replaced by The DPE Students Cup (DPE - Department of Physical Education) after 1934.
After that the association joined theFIFA in 1925 andAFC in 1957.
Thailand national football team joinedOlympic Games first time inAustralia in 1956.
The first football stadium,Suphachalasai Stadium, was built in 1935.King's Cup, the first football cup was introduced in 1968. And then two years later,Queen's Cup, a national cup competition, started in 1970.
League competitions in Thailand include :
(See also:Thai football league system for the additional detail about league system.)
Youth football is very popular in Thailand, with several competitions and clubs being active.Bangkok Youth League provides the top level of youth football in Bangkok with a membership that includes teams from Thai Premiership Academies, such as BEC Tero and Chonburi Sharks, as well as local and International Academies such as iPlay Soccer Schools. It provides a structured, competitive environment for over 1000 players aged 6–16 years.Bangkok Soccer League is a youth football club organised for children attending international schools in Thailand and provides regular football for over 500 kids, both Thai and expat. 555
A 2022 telephone poll conducted forThe Nation found that 31.16% of respondents watched theEnglish Premier League (17.33% of whom described themselves as hardcore fans) and 29.60% watched theThai League 1 (9.59% of whom described themselves as hardcore fans).[5] A 2023 poll conducted by the NIDA Poll Research Centre found that 61.52% of respondents followed the Premier League and 53.80% followed the Thai League 1.[8]
Polling consistently shows thatBuriram United is by far the most supported club in the Thai League 1. Polling also consistently shows thatLiverpool andManchester United are by far the most supported Premier League clubs in Thailand.
Compared to other countries outside theUnited Kingdom,Leicester City has a notable following in Thailand due to the fact that it is owned by Thai businessmanAiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha. However, it is still not one of the most popular clubs in Thailand.
| NIDA Poll Research Centre (2023)[8] | |
|---|---|
| Club | % |
| Arsenal | 5.27% |
| Chelsea | 7.09% |
| Liverpool | 31.79% |
| Manchester City | 5.72% |
| Manchester United | 34.59% |
| Other | 1.37% |
| None | 14.17% |
| The Nation (2022)[5] | |
|---|---|
| Club | % |
| Arsenal | 3.85% |
| Chelsea | 9.37% |
| Leicester City | 2.82% |
| Liverpool | 31.32% |
| Manchester City | 2.95% |
| Manchester United | 30.42% |
| NIDA Poll Research Centre (2023)[8] | |
|---|---|
| Club | % |
| BG Pathum United | 4.46% |
| Buriram United | 36.13% |
| Chiangrai United | 2.97% |
| Chonburi | 3.79% |
| Khon Kaen United | 2.01% |
| Muangthong United | 11.67% |
| Port | 12.49% |
| Sukhothai | 1.41% |
| Other | 3.88% |
| None | 21.19% |
| The Nation (2022)[5] | |
|---|---|
| Club | % |
| BG Pathum United | 2.97% |
| Buriram United | 32.43% |
| Chonburi | 4.73% |
| Muangthong United | 11.49% |
| Port | 6.49% |
| National teams |
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| League system |
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| Domestic cups |
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| Reserve and Academy |
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| Continental cups | |||||||||
| Exhibition game |
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| Lists | |||||||||
