Football was first introduced to Thailand (then known as the Kingdom of Siam) in 1897 following King Chulalongkorn’s maiden visit to Europe that year.

The kingdom’s national team played their first match against a select side comprising of expatriate opponents on 23 November 1915, with the locals prevailing 2-1.

The Football Association of Siam was eventually inaugurated on 25 April 1916, and became the first Asian football body to join the world football federation FIFA on 23 June 1925. It was subsequently rebranded to its present name, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), following the renaming of the country from Siam to Thailand in 1938.

The FAT is the main national authority on all things football in the kingdom, with Police-General Somyot Poompanmoung as the president since 11 February 2016. Their main men’s and women’s national teams are well-established powerhouses in Southeast Asia.

Known as the War Elephants, the Thailand men’s national team are one of the best sides in Southeast Asia, with a record number of Asean Football Federation Championships and Southeast Asian Games gold medals.

Not only are Whitaya Laohakul, Piyapong Pue-On, Kiatisuk Senamuang and Chanatip Songkrasin the leading players in their respective generations, they are also the national sporting and cultural icons in the wider Thai society.

The Thailand women’s national team, nicknamed the Pink Elephants, are perennial contenders in Southeast Asia and the wider Asian continent, and have featured in two FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019.

Notable Football Legends

  • Piyapong Pue-On
  • Withaya Laohakul
  • Kiatisuk Senamuang
  • Therdsak Chaiman
  • Tawan Sripan
  • Teerasil Dangda
  • Chanatip Songkrasin
  • Theerathon Bunmathan

Notable Football Clubs

  • Thai Farmers Bank (now-defunct)
  • Muang Thong United
  • Buriram United
  • Chonburi

Thailand Men’s National Team International Successes

Southeast Asian Games football Gold Medals (9, full national team until 1999): 1965, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1993, 1995, 1997 & 1999

AFF Championship Titles (5): 1996, 2000, 2002, 2014 & 2016

Asian Games Football Best Finish (full national team until 1998): Fourth in 1990 & 1998

AFC Asian Cup Appearances (7): 1972 (Third), 1992 (Group Stage), 1996 (Group Stage), 2000 (Group Stage), 2004 (Group Stage), 2007 (Group Stage) & 2019 (Round of 16)

Olympic Games Football Appearances (2, full national team until 1988): 1956 & 1968 (Both First Round)

Thailand Women’s National Team International Successes

Southeast Asian Games Football Gold Medals (5): 1985, 1995, 1997, 2007 & 2013

AFF Women’s Championship Titles (4): 2011, 2015, 2016 & 2018

Asian Games Football Best Finish: Quarter-finalists in 2014 & 2018

AFC Women’s Asian Cup Title (1): 1983

FIFA Women’s World Cup Appearances (2): 2015 & 2019 (Both Group Stage)

Thailand Men’s National Youth Team International Successes

Southeast Asian Games Football Gold Medals (7, Under-23 event since 2001): 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015 & 2017

Asian Games Football Best Finish (Under-23 event since 2002): Fourth in 2002 & 2014

AFF Under-23 Youth Championship Title (1): 2005

AFC Under-23 Championship Appearances (3): 2016 (Group stage), 2018 (Group Stage), 2020 (Quarter-finals)

AFC Under-19 Championship Titles (2): 1962 & 1969

AFF Under-19 Championship Titles (5): 2002, 2009, 2011, 2015 & 2017

AFC Under-16 Championship Title (1): 1998

AFF Under-16 Championship Titles (3): 2007, 2011 & 2015

FIFA Under-17 World Cup Appearances (2): 1997 & 1999 (Both in Group Stage)

Thailand Women’s National Youth Team International Successes

AFF Under-19 Women’s Championship (1): 2014

AFC Under-19 Women’s Championship Appearances (6): 2002 (Group Stage), 2004 (Fourth), 2007 (Group Stage), 2009 (Quarter-finals), 2015 (Group Stage), 2017 (Quarter-finals)

FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup Appearance (1): 2004 (Group Stage)

AFF Under-16 Women’s Championship Title (1): 2017

AFC Under-16 Women’s Championship Appearances (7): 2005 (Third), 2007 (Group Stage), 2009 (Group Stage), 2011 (Group Stage), 2013 (Fourth), 2015 (Fourth), 2017 (Group Stage)

Thailand Men’s Club International Successes

Asian Club Championship (now AFC Champions League) Champions: Thai Farmers Bank (1994 & 1995)

AFC Champions League Runners-up: BEC Tero Sasana (2002-03)