Coach Wang reveals Thailand's plan to compete at the 2026 Asian Games! He hints at the over-age players he wants but admits the job is not easy!
On 24 Feb 2026, "Coach Wang" Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, head coach of Thailand's under-23 national team, disclosed the preparation plan for the major continental event, the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled from September to October 2026 in Nagoya, Japan. He shared this on the "Clear Rim Sen" program on Thairath Sport channel, alongside "Jay Woraphat," "Bubble," and "Nang Trong Krom." He confirmed that the team will use the quota for over-age players in this tournament.
During the program, "Jay Woraphat" directly asked if Jude Bellingham had a chance to be included in the Asian Games squad. Coach Wang replied, "He's a candidate, but Hudson wants to bring him up to the senior team."
When further questioned about using the over-age quota, Coach Wang admitted he would like to have Suphanat Mueanta to help the team, but he is concerned about scheduling conflicts. The Asian Games group stage does not coincide with FIFA international windows, and the senior national team also has fixtures, making it uncertain whether they can call him up for the tournament.
Viewers sent messages expressing a shared opinion that securing "Bank" may not be easy since it depends on his club, Buriram United, agreeing to release him. This is because the group stage matches are not during FIFA international windows. The show's hosts agreed with this point.