GLO STAR 2026 has kicked off its first round! More than 200 U13 and U15 players from Bangkok and surrounding areas compete for a chance to train football in Japan.
The Thai football youth development project continues steadily. On 10 April 2026, the 8-a-side youth football championship of Thailand, the GLO Cup 2026 for under-13 and under-15 age groups, organized by the Government Lottery Office (GLO), launched its first player selection event of the year for the GLO STAR 2026 project in the Bangkok and metropolitan zone at the sports field of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.
This selection involved over 200 youths aged under 13 and 15, all screened by the committee throughout the three-day group stage competition, aiming to identify the most promising players for advancement to a higher development level.
The GLO STAR project aims to discover and develop young Thai football talents nationwide in the U13 and U15 categories, sending them to train and stay with leading clubs in Japan’s J.League. Last year, the project achieved significant success by sending six Thai youths to train with Avispa Fukuoka for six months, during which they showed clear improvement.
“TheTuk” Piyapong Piao-on, legendary former Thai national team striker and competition chairman, revealed that the project focuses not only on providing overseas experience but also on seriously developing Thai youths’ potential to build future key players for the national team. He affirmed the selection process is transparent, with all players closely monitored by the committee.
“The six youths currently in Japan have been continuously developing. After just three months, their progress is evident, and some have a chance to extend their contracts, which is a positive sign for Thai football,” Piyapong said.
For the Bangkok and metropolitan zone, the list of selected youths will be announced after the regional final on 12 April 2026. The project will continue to visit all seven regions nationwide to discover promising young talents to develop toward the international stage.