The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) confirmed that the national team will have a friendly match with Afghanistan on March 21, before competing in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Afghanistan is currently ranked 156th in the world and is considered a suitable opponent for the "War Elephants" to train their troops before the upcoming important tournament.
Although it was a friendly match, coach Ishii Masatada and his team certainly needed a victory to strengthen their spirit, especially after the defeat against Vietnam in the ASEAN Cup 2024. The defeat right on the "fire pan" Rajamangala in the second leg of the final against Vietnam will certainly have a significant impact on the spirit of the players as well as the fans.
To prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, coach Ishii Masatada will likely call up his best players.
Thailand is in Group D with Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan and Chinese Taipei in the upcoming tournament. These are all opponents that are considered weaker than the representatives of Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Vietnam is in Group F with Malaysia, Nepal and Laos.
The 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers will take place according to FIFA's international competition schedule from March 2025 to March 2026. 24 teams will be divided into 6 groups, competing in a round-robin format (home and away) to calculate ranking points.
Each group will take 1 team to win a ticket to the final round taking place in Saudi Arabia in 2027.
