Cheer for the War Elephants “Small Table - Big Table”
This Saturday evening, 1 August
Our football fans will be able to watch and support both Thailand national teams simultaneously.
Starting with the War Elephants, the senior Thailand national football team, who will play their second match in the ASEAN Cup 2026 group stage, Group B.
They face their longtime rival, Malaysia, who have won their first two matches and lead the group, at Rajamangala National Stadium at 8 p.m. sharp.
In the first game, the Thai players performed excellently by thrashing Laos 5-0 in Vientiane.
If they win this match against the “Yellow Tigers,” reaching 6 points, their chances of winning the group and advancing to the semifinals will be very promising.
However, it won’t be easy because the standards between Malaysia and Laos are very different.
Importantly, whenever Thailand and Malaysia meet, the matches are always closely contested; there’s never an easy win for either side.
The last time they met was two years ago in the first match of the 2024 Asian Championship.
The War Elephants, playing at home, narrowly defeated Malaysia 1-0.
That was due to a mistake by a Malaysian player, allowing Patrick Gustafsson to score and secure three points for Thailand.
Unfortunately, Patrick Gustafsson will not be available for Saturday’s game.
He is committed to his club, BG Pathum United, which will play a special friendly match against the Premier League’s Aston Villa on 4 August at True BG Stadium.
He will join the national team camp only on 5 August after that match.
Nonetheless, the War Elephants’ attacking options remain varied and capable.
Players like Teerasak Phayapimai, Yotsakorn Burapha, and Kakhana Kamyok, who scored twice in the last game, along with Seksan Ratri,
can still pose a strong offensive threat if coach Anthony Hudson devises a clear and effective game plan, similar to the Laos match.
There is hope to outplay the Yellow Tigers in front of the home crowd and restore faith in the national team.
Similarly, the "small table" team, the senior Thailand futsal team, under coach "Coach Bear" Rakpol Sainetngam,
is about to compete in the Continental Futsal Championship 2026.
This tournament will be held from 1-6 August 2026 at the Nonthaburi Provincial Gymnasium.
The tournament is organized to sharpen skills ahead of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Saudi Arabia later this year.
“Big Pom” Adisak Benjasiriwan, Vice President of the Football Association responsible for futsal development and the main organizer,
continues the concept of inviting leading national teams from each continent to compete, greatly benefiting Thailand’s futsal team by exposing them to diverse global playing styles annually.
This year, four countries from three continents will compete against Thailand.
These include Russia, the European favorites known as the “White Bears,” New Zealand, Oceania champions nicknamed the “Kiwi Small Table,”
Afghanistan, a rising Asian team, and Vietnam, a regional rival from ASEAN.
All teams will play each other once, with the highest point total winning the championship.
Thailand, the two-time defending champion, has the following schedule:
Saturday, 1 Aug 2026: Thailand vs New Zealand
Sunday, 2 Aug 2026: Afghanistan vs Thailand
Wednesday, 5 Aug 2026: Vietnam vs Thailand
Thursday, 6 Aug 2026: Thailand vs Russia
All matches kick off at 20:30 at Nonthaburi Provincial Gymnasium.
Futsal fans interested can attend free of charge with no admission fees.
Let’s all support Thailand’s national teams, both the big and small tables.
If you can’t attend the matches in person, watch the live broadcasts on TrueVisions Now.
They hold exclusive broadcasting rights in Thailand.
The subscription fee starts at 199 baht per month.
There’s no need to debate about “free viewing” anymore.
In this day and age, Thai sports fans must adapt if they want to watch quality sports events.
- B Bangpakong -