Thailand, ranked 102nd in the world, under the leadership of coach Masatada Ishii, lost 1-3 to Turkmenistan away, in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers last June.
To best prepare for the two matches against Taiwan (China) in October 2025, Thailand will play two matches at the King's Cup. If they beat Fiji, Masatada Ishii's team will meet Iraq or Hong Kong (China) in the final.
To prepare for the 2025 King's Cup, the Thai team has called up 25 players. Their squad is missing some big stars such as Teerasil Dangda, Theerathon Bunmanthan... but coach Ishii still aims to successfully defend the championship.
We want to win both matches and win the Kings Cup. Fortunately for the Thai team, 23 players were called up and none were injured. This gives us more options and I will choose the strongest squad to play for the Philippines, said Mr. Ishii.
Meanwhile, midfielder Thitipan Puangchan emphasized that all Thai players are ready and determined to win against Fiji. He personally is very happy to return and play for the national team again.
Midfielder Supachok Sarachat, one of the biggest stars of the Thai team, was surprised when striker Suphanat Muaenta was not present at the King's Cup this time. But he believes in the strength of the Thai team, combined with the support of the home fans, the team will win the opening match of the King's Cup.
As for the Fiji team, they are ranked 150th in the world, having twice been 3rd in the Atlantic Championship. Before participating in the 2025 King's Cup, the Fiji team had a change on the coaching bench. As interim coach, Mr. Ratu Marika Rodu will lead the Vietnam team in the match against Thailand.
The current Chelsea team is very different. After not being able to qualify for the World Cup, we have included many young players to prepare for the future. We have prepared well for this tournament and carefully studied the Thai team. We hope to achieve good results in the first match against the home team, Mr. Rodu shared.
The Thailand vs Fiji match will take place at 8:00 p.m. on September 4 and will be broadcast live on Thai Rath TV (32), True Visions Now and YouTube channel BG Sports.
