The Thailand national under-23 football team (, ), also known as the Thailand Olympic football team, is the national team for the under-23 and 22 level, representing Thailand in international football competitions in the Olympic Games, Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games, as well as any other under-23 international football tournaments including the AFC U-23 Championship. It is controlled by the Football Association of Thailand.
The team has won the Southeast Asian Games gold medal for a record seven times, making it the most successful among ASEAN football teams. Despite its major domination in Southeast Asia, the team never won any gold medal in Asian level.
History 2013–present 2014 Asian Games The 2014 Asian Games was held in Incheon, South Korea. The Thailand U23 Team under coach Kiatisuk Senamuang built a young-blood team that would later become the main Thailand senior team with players such as Chanathip Songkrasin, Sarach Yooyen, Kawin Thamsatchanan, Charyl Chappuis, etc. In this competition the team made top performance by finishing in fourth place, the highest in the Asian Games after 1998.
2016 AFC U-23 Championship The 2016 AFC U-23 Championship final tournament was held in Qatar from 12–30 January 2016. Thailand qualified for the tournament by runner-up in the qualification stage in homeland in March 2015. The Young Elephants recorded comprehensive victories; 2–1 against Cambodia; 5–1 against Philippines and 0–0 against North Korea.
The 2016 AFC U-23 Championship doubled as the qualifying tournament for the 2016 Summer Olympics Football tournament in Rio de Janeiro. Thailand were eliminated from the championship in the group stage. A 1–1 draw to Saudi Arabia followed by a 0–4 loss to Japan meant that Thailand needed to defeat North Korea in the final group match. A nil-all draw resulted in the elimination for Thailand from the tournament and hence failure to qualify for the Olympics. Although eliminated, Thailand earned praise and reputation for its strong performance in the tournament.
2018 AFC U-23 Championship In the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship, Thailand only finished second in their qualification, but with the team being undefeated, Thailand beat Malaysia 3–0 and was held draws by Mongolia and Indonesia, Thailand became the best runners-up to qualify. The Young Elephants prepared by hosting the friendly 2017 M-150 Cup, where they finished fourth but managed to beat Japan 2–1. This enthusiastic performance of Thailand put up great hope for the team, having earlier conquered the 2017 SEA Games.
However, having entered the tournament, it would become Thailand's complete nightmare. They opened their game with a 0–1 loss to North Korea before got slapped with the same result to Japan, eventually eliminated the Young Elephants from the competition. The Thais bid goodbye from the competition in a humiliating fashion, with a devastating 1–5 loss to Palestine. To add the dismay, their defeated rivals Malaysia and Vietnam both moved on to progress from the group stage, with the latter managed to reach the final and ended in second place.
2020 AFC U-23 Championship Thailand was awarded as host of the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship, therefore they were automatically qualified. Thailand still participated in the qualification as an opportunity to train and improve the team. Thailand, once again, finished second, after beating Indonesia and Brunei, but lost to Vietnam. Before the tournament, Thailand was eliminated at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games after the group stage.
In the group stage, Thailand would face Iraq, Australia and maiden debutant Bahrain, and was tipped favorably to progress, mainly due to Australia's underperformance in the tournament and inexperienced Bahrain. Thailand prepared by playing against Saudi Arabia in the friendly encounter, but lost 0–1. In their first match against inexperienced Bahrain, the Thais proved to be too dominant for the visitor, as the Thais demolished Bahrain 5–0. This win allowed more Thai supporters coming to cheer for the Thai side in their second encounter against underperformed Australia, instead, Thailand suffered a heartbreaking 1–2 loss to Australia despite having taken the lead and putting Thailand's quest to the final stage in their final game against Iraq. In final matches in group state Thailand draw Iraq 1–1 earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time in AFC U-23 Championship as the second-placed team in the group behind Australia. In quarterfinals Thailand have to face with the winner of Group B, Saudi Arabia and lost with penalty 1-0 end the way to 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup The 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup final tournament was held in Uzbekistan from 1 to 19 June 2022. Thailand qualified for the tournament by being runner-up in the qualification stage in Mongolia in October 2021, which drew; 1–1 against Mongolia; 3-0 against Laos and 0–0 against Malaysia.
In the group stage, Thailand (Pot 2) was drawn into Group C with South Korea (Pot 1), Vietnam (Pot 3), and Malaysia (Pot 4). All matches were played at Tashkent. In the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup at Tashkent, Thailand drew 2–2 against Vietnam, won 3–0 against Malaysia, and lost to South Korea 0–1; they were eliminated from the group stage with four points.ผลบอลล่าสุด ทีมชาติไทย เสมอ เวียดนาม ศึกAFC U23 Asian Cupผลบอลไทย U23 "ช้างศึก" พ่าย เกาหลีใต้ 0-1 ตกรอบ ฟุตบอลชิงแชมป์เอเชีย 2022
Results and fixtures
2026
Coaching staff
PositionName Head coach Thawatchai Damrong-OngtrakulAssistant coach Tanapat Na Tarue Choketawee Promrut Puriphat Niyomjit Goalkeeping coach Pansa MeesathamFitness coach Pongpipat PromchanMatch analyst Naruebet Saengsawang Saranpat Boeploy Kit manager Chusak Phakdeedamrongrat Doctor Phakphon Issarakraisil Physiotherapists Suwicha Noradee Team coordinator Chonlachart Siripanich
Coaching history
Doldjs Otkar (2001) Peter Withe (2002) Carlos Roberto (2003–2004) Chatchai Paholpat (2004) Sigfried Held (2004) Charnwit Polcheewin (2005–2006) Prapol Pongpanich (2007) Thongsuk Sampahungsith (2007) Steve Darby (2009) Bryan Robson (2010) Charnwit Polcheewin (2011) Prapol Pongpanich (2011) Alexandré Pölking (2012) Kiatisuk Senamuang (2013–2015) Choketawee Promrut (2015) Kiatisuk Senamuang (2016) Worrawoot Srimaka (2016–2017) Zoran Janković (2017–2018) Worrawoot Srimaka (2018) Alexandre Gama (2018–2019) Akira Nishino (2019–2021) Worrawoot Srimaka (2021–2022) Salvador Valero Garcia (interim) (2022) Alexandré Pölking (interim) (2022) Issara Sritaro (2022–2024) Takayuki Nishigaya (2024–2025) Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul (2025–)
Players Current squad The following 23 players were called up for the 2026 Asian Games on 15 September - 3 October 2026.
Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up within the last 12 months.
INJ Withdrew from the squad due to injury PRE Included in the Preliminary squad or on standby RET Retired from the national team SUS Serving suspension from the national team WD Withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue
Previous squads
AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2016 AFC U-23 Championship squad 2018 AFC U-23 Championship squad 2020 AFC U-23 Championship squad 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup squad 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup squad 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup squad
Asian Games 2002 Asian Games squad 2006 Asian Games squad 2010 Asian Games squad 2014 Asian Games squad 2018 Asian Games squad 2022 Asian Games squad
SEA Games 2005 Southeast Asian Games squad 2007 Southeast Asian Games squad 2009 Southeast Asian Games squad 2011 Southeast Asian Games squad 2013 Southeast Asian Games squad 2015 Southeast Asian Games squad 2017 Southeast Asian Games squad 2019 Southeast Asian Games squad 2021 Southeast Asian Games squad 2023 Southeast Asian Games squad 2025 Southeast Asian Games squad
Competitive record Olympic Games finalsQualificationsYearHost countryResultPosition* 1992 Did not qualify8503259 1996 4202126 2000 6123413 2004 201125 2008 832397 2012 200204 2016 2016 AFC U-23 Championship 2020 2020 AFC U-23 Championship 2024 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2028 To be determined2028 AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2032 Total0/7— 30115145244
AFC U-23 Asian Cup finalsQualificationsYearHost countryResultPosition*Manager(s) 20131 Did not qualify5212116Pölking 2016 Group stage13th302137321072Kiatisuk 2018 16th300317312041Worrawoot, Jankovićประวัติฟุตบอลไทยลีก 2020 Quarter-finals6th4112743201124Gama, NishinoAlexandre Gama managed the qualification campaign. He left before the tournament and was replaced by Akira Nishino. 2022 Group stage9th311153312041Worrawoot 2024 13th310226330090Issara 2026 13th3021233210103Thawatchai 2028 To be determinedTo be determinedTotal6/8Best: 6th19361020302312735717— Note 1: The under-22 team played at the 2013 edition. *: Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
AFC U-23 Asian Cup historyYearRoundDateOpponentResultStadium 2016 Group stage13 JanuaryD 1–1Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha16 JanuaryL 0–419 JanuaryD 2–2 2018 Group stage10 JanuaryL 0–1Jiangyin Stadium, Jiangyin13 JanuaryL 0–116 JanuaryL 1–5Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Changzhou 2020 Group stage8 JanuaryW 5–0Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok11 JanuaryL 1–214 JanuaryD 1–1 Quarter-Final18 JanuaryL 0–1Thammasat Stadium, Khlong Luang 2022 Group stage2 JuneD 2–2Milliy Stadium, Tashkent5 JuneW 3–08 JuneL 0–1Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent 2024 Group stage16 AprilW 2–0Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah19 AprilL 0–5Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan22 AprilL 0–1Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah 2026 Group stage9 JanuaryL 1–2Al-Shabab Club Stadium, Riyadh12 JanuaryD 1–1Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium, Riyadh15 JanuaryD 0–0Al-Shabab Club Stadium, Riyadh AFC U-23 Asian Cup historyFirst Match 1–1 (13 January 2016; Doha, Qatar)Biggest Win 5–0 (8 January 2020; Bangkok, Thailand)Biggest Defeat 0–5 (19 April 2024; Al Rayyan, Qatar)Best ResultQuarter Finals at the 2020Worst ResultGroup stage at the 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2026
Asian Games
recordYearHost countryResultPosition*Manager(s) 1951 to 19981See Thailand national football team2002 Fourth place4th6 4 0 2 10 7Withe2006 Quarter-finals7th4 3 01 4 3Charnwit2010 Quarter-finals7th5 2 21 8 2Robson2014 Fourth place4th7 5 0 2 15 3Kiatisuk2018 Group stage18th3 0 2 1 2 3Worrawoot 2022 Round of 1614th4 0 2 2 2 8Issara 2026 Quarter-finals7th4 2 02 8 9ThawatchaiTotal7/7Best: 4th33166114935— Note 1: The senior national team played at the 1951 to 1998 editions. *: Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
Asian Games historyFirst Match 0–3 (27 September 2002; Changwon, South Korea)Biggest Win 6–0 (7 November 2010; Guangzhou, China) 0–6 (22 September 2014; Incheon, South Korea)Biggest Defeat 0–4 (21 September 2023; Jinhua, China)Best ResultFourth place at the 2002 and 2014Worst ResultGroup stage at the 2018
Southeast Asian Games
recordYearHost countryResultPosition*Manager(s) 1959 to 19991See Thailand national football team 2001 1st 6 6 0 0 15 2Otkar 2003 1st 5 4 1 0 17 2Carlos Roberto 2005 1st 5 5 0 0 10 2Charnwit2007 1st 5 5 0 0 18 3Thongsuk 2009 Group stage 5th 4 2 1 1 15 3Darby 2011 Group stage 7th 4 1 0 3 6 7Prapol 2013 1st 6 4 2 0 10 3Kiatisuk 2015 1st 7 7 0 0 24 1Choketawee 2017 2 1st 7 6 1 0 12 1Worrawoot 2019 2Group stage 5th 5 3 1 1 14 4Nishino 2021 2nd 6 4 0 2 13 3Pölking 2023 2 2nd 6 4 1 1 15 8Issara 2025 2nd 4 3 0 1 12 4ThawatchaiTotal13/13Best: 1st70547918143— Note 1: The senior national team played at the 1959 to 1999 editions. 2: The under-22 national team. *: Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
Southeast Asian Games historyFirst Match 7–0 (1 September 2001; Petaling Jaya, Malaysia)Biggest Win 0–9 (8 December 2009; Vientiane, Laos)Biggest Defeat 5–2 (16 May 2023; Phnom Penh, Cambodia)Best Result Gold medal at the 2001, 2003, 2005,2007, 2013, 2015 and 2017Worst Result Group stage at the 2009, 2011 and 2019
AFF U-23 Championship