Last Friday, I had my first real chance to attend the press conference for the under-17 seven-a-side youth football tournament "Muang Thai Madame Cup 2025/26" in person, held at the Super Star Arena football field in Ladprao 80.
Following the buzz from the 7HD School Sports Championship football tournament in 2025, the "Mon Thong Wittaya" school team from my hometown in Paet Riu exploded in popularity.
They created a phenomenon by filling Suphachalasai Stadium to capacity during the final match.
This surge in popularity has made seven-a-side youth football popular nationwide, even prompting calls for the Sports Authority of Thailand to consider including it in the National Youth Sports Festival.
"Madame Pang" Nualphan Lamsam, President of the Football Association of Thailand and CEO of Muang Thai Insurance Public Company Limited, detailed the "Muang Thai Madame Cup" youth football event, now in its third consecutive year.
It began in 2023 after the COVID-19 crisis, starting in the three southern border provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala.
The competition format was then adjusted to better benefit youth nationwide by increasing opportunities and accessibility.
Originally, the first round was divided into four regions, but this year the organizers expanded the first round into 10 zones across 10 venues nationwide, with an increasing number of teams qualifying each year.
This year, there are 153 teams, up from 116 previously, competing to find the top 24 teams advancing to the final round.
The total prize money approaches 1,000,000 baht, with the champion receiving a 300,000-baht scholarship and an honorary trophy.
The first runner-up earns a 150,000-baht scholarship, the second runner-up 100,000 baht, and the third runner-up 50,000 baht.
The top scorer and Most Valuable Player (MVP) each receive a 10,000-baht scholarship.
The best coach is awarded 30,000 baht, the Fair Play team 10,000 baht, and each of the 24 finalists receives 10,000 baht in support funds.
The first round kicked off on National Children's Day in Zone 2, Central Region, at Chachoengsao Provincial Stadium.
The 10 zones for the first round will compete from 10 January to 11 February 2026.
The final round (national level) will be held from 16 to 20 February 2026 at Bangkokthonburi University Stadium.
The championship match is scheduled for 22 February 2026 at Pat Stadium.
A key feature of the "Muang Thai Madame Cup" youth football is its focus on small schools nationwide that typically receive fewer opportunities, allowing them to shine and emerge widely in the football scene.
"Madame Pang" affirmed that this tournament was created as a platform of opportunity for youth from all over the country, noting this year’s participation from many teams across various regions.
She expressed strong confidence that Thai football will be strong and sustainable only when it has a solid foundation built on truly capable young players.
She hopes the under-17 seven-a-side "Muang Thai Madame Cup 2025/26" will benefit all youth and schools involved.
This includes development in skills, techniques, and individual abilities.
This aligns with international development standards from FIFA, which plans to organize youth seven-a-side football competitions soon.
She hopes these youths will become national resources, especially for Thailand's under-17 national team, as the tournament uses the same age criteria.
Additionally, to further elevate the "Muang Thai Madame Cup," the organizers increased the total prize money from 325,000 baht to over 1,000,000 baht.
This makes it the under-17 seven-a-side youth football tournament at the school level with the largest total prize money in Thailand.
The champion team will now receive a 300,000-baht scholarship, up from 100,000 baht previously.
Meanwhile, the footballer chosen as the MVP of this competition will have the opportunity to sign a professional contract with Port FC.
They will also be sent to train in Japan with Avispa Fukuoka, a J1 League club, for two weeks during the school break.
Moreover, “Madame Pang” announced a surprise: the top three teams will each send five players to travel at no cost to watch Thailand’s under-17 national team compete in Saudi Arabia.
This is during the 2026 Asian Championship finals from 7 to 24 May 2026, aiming to qualify among eight teams for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
With such a comprehensive and robust start to the new year, the Muang Thai Madame Cup is truly vibrant and lively.
If anyone still dares to criticize Thai football today for insufficient focus on youth development,
they might simply be personally biased against "Madame Pang."
- Bee Bangpakong -