Thai footballer killed by lightning during Golok FA Cup

A Thai footballer was killed after being struck by lightning during a match in this southern province on Tuesday, while nine others were injured.

The incident occurred during injury time in the regional Golok FA Cup 2026 tournament, featuring local and mixed teams from Thailand and Malaysia, at Santipap Stadium (Babu Field) in Su-ngai Kolok municipality.

The match between Samcolts and Abu x Nong Sirin was under way at about 5pm when it started raining.

A video clip posted online showed a bright flash hitting an area of the pitch, after which several players collapsed on the ground.

One of them was 24-year-old Sofwan Awae, a recent signing for Thai third-tier club Yala FC, who was playing for Samcolts. Fellow players attempted to revive him at the scene, but their efforts were unsuccessful.