Coke Cup Kicks Off Across Six Regions of Thailand - Madame Pang Hopes to Discover Brilliant Gems for Thai Football
Coca-Cola and Thailand's Football Association launched the Coke Cup U17 championship across six regions, with 192 youth teams competing for over 1.5 million baht and a pathway to professional football careers from May to August 2026.
The Coke Cup U17 Thailand Football Championship 2026 officially launched with Madame Pang Nuealpan Lamsam, chairperson of the Thai Football Association, hoping to discover brilliant gems for Thai football. On May 8, the Coca-Cola business group in Thailand—comprising Coca-Cola Thailand Limited, Thai Tippy Water Corporation, and Haad Thip Public Company—jointly announced the official opening of the Coke Cup U17 Thailand Football Championship 2026 through a draw ceremony determining competition brackets. The schedule for all 192 youth teams from six regions nationwide was revealed, with participants competing for prize money exceeding 1.5 million baht and opportunities to pursue professional football careers and compete on the world stage.
Retima Rucyan, General Manager and Vice President of Franchise Business at Coca-Cola Thailand, stated: "Coca-Cola aims to provide opportunities and support Thai youth in developing football skills throughout the Coke Cup U17 Thailand Football Championship 2026. This year, we're not just organizing a tournament but opening doors to dreams for new players alongside the association. The friendly football matches on May 8 also celebrate Coca-Cola's 140th anniversary and our 77 years in Thailand, creating excitement for young football fans while inspiring new players with experiences from former Coke Cup participants."
Madame Pang Nuealpan Lamsam, chairperson of the Thai Football Association, said: "Developing Thai youth football with national-level skills and potential is our core mission, and this partnership with Coca-Cola powerfully fulfills that. This year's most striking reflection is that 367 U-17 youth teams nationwide registered, showing that Thai youth's dreams and determination remain burning brightly. Among all these teams, we see impressive dedication, and we're proud to give 192 selected teams the opportunity to stand on this stage. With Coke's support, the association will systematically identify and develop talented players through the T-MASC model to polish Thai football's gems and make them shine at the national level."
After the competition management committee announced 192 qualified teams last week, comprising T1-T3 club teams, provincial sports association teams, and gold, silver, and bronze-level Academy Licensing member schools and academies, the official draw ceremony for regional brackets was held today. Competitions will take place across six zones from May to August 2026:
East Zone (Chonburi Province): May 19-24 Northeast Zone (Buriram Province): June 2-7 Central and West Zone (Kanchanaburi Province): June 16-21 South Zone (Songkhla Province): June 30 - July 5 North Zone (Chiang Mai Province): July 14-19
