Why "Theerathon, Ben, and Weerathep" are not included in Thailand's national team for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
Anthony Hudson, Thailand's national team coach, gave a clear explanation on this matter.
Regarding "Theerathon":
"I really like Theerathon and have consistently called him up recently. But frankly, we have discussed with his club and Theerathon himself. Currently, both club and national team schedules are quite packed. Given his age and physical condition, he needs rest to recover and avoid injuries long-term. So we want him to rest during this camp and focus on upcoming tournaments like the King's Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup."
Regarding "Ben Davis and Weerathep":
"Actually, this is a good problem to have in midfield, where competition is very high. Along with six weeks of preparation in the latest ASEAN Cup squad, changing the entire midfield could disrupt adaptation. Some midfielders showed excellent performance in the ASEAN Cup. We tried to call up both Ben and Weerathep for the ASEAN Cup, but they were unavailable."
"Ben Davis is a talented player with excellent dribbling skills and quality. He has the potential to become the best midfielder in the country. We've already had talks, but I prefer to keep those between me and Ben. The main point is we want consistency in midfield."
For this tournament, Thailand is in Group B along with Vietnam, the Philippines, and Pakistan. The group stage will be round-robin, with the group winner advancing to the final, and the runner-up competing in the third-place playoff on 5 October 2026 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Regarding the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 schedule:
First match:
26 September 2026
16:00 Pakistan vs. Thailand
Venue: Gelora Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung, Indonesia
Second match:
29 September 2026
19:30 Thailand vs. Vietnam
Venue: Gelora Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung, Indonesia
Third match:
2 October 2026
16:00 Thailand vs. Philippines
Venue: Gelora Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung, Indonesia