Thailand’s football community has been plunged into mourning following the tragic death of 24-year-old winger Sofwan Awae, who was struck by lightning during a match in the country’s southern Narathiwat province.
The heartbreaking incident occurred on Tuesday, August 4, during the semifinal of the regional Golok FA Cup tournament at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok. Heavy rain had swept across the venue when lightning suddenly struck an area of the pitch while the match was still in progress.
Sofwan, who had recently signed for Thai League 3 club Yala FC, collapsed after being hit by the powerful electrical strike. Players and people at the stadium rushed to his aid and attempted to revive him before emergency personnel transported him for medical treatment.
Despite the desperate efforts to save his life, authorities later confirmed that the young footballer had died from the severe injuries he suffered. Several other players were also hurt, including a 22-year-old Malaysian footballer. Reports differ on the total number of injured players, with figures ranging from nine to 12.
The match, involving local and mixed teams from Thailand and Malaysia, was abandoned following the tragedy.
Sofwan’s death is especially painful because he had reportedly joined Yala FC only days before the incident, opening what should have been an exciting new chapter in his football career. He previously played for Pattani FC before securing his move to the Thai third-tier side.
💔 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗖 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: Safwan Awae, a player for a Thai League 3 club, has sadly 𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬 after being struck by lightning during a Kolok FA Cup match in Thailand.
Our heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends, teammates, and everyone affected by this…
— Football Faithfuls (@FootyFaithfuls) August 5, 2026
Yala FC released a touching tribute mourning its new player and extending condolences to his grieving family. The Football Association of Thailand also expressed its sorrow and offered sympathies to Sofwan’s relatives, club and everyone affected by the tragedy.
Sofwan’s relatives have reportedly appealed to the public to stop circulating footage of the devastating incident and to remove videos already shared online out of respect for the family.
A promising footballer who walked onto the pitch to play the game he loved never made it home. Sofwan Awae’s sudden death has left teammates, supporters and the wider football family struggling to comprehend an unimaginable loss.
