Thai U23 Coach Explains Why No Overage Players for Asian Games
Thailand's U23 team will field no overage players at the 2025 Asian Games in Japan, as senior squad commitments to the FIFA Cup and ASEAN Cup require experienced players, coach Wang Thaweechai said.
Coach Wang Thaweechai Damrongongtrakul, manager of Thailand's U23 national team, explained why the squad will not include overage players for the Asian Games. The primary reason is that the senior national team now has additional tournament commitments, such as the FIFA Cup and ASEAN Cup, requiring overage players to serve as core members. Thailand's U23 team competes in Group A at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, running from September 19 to October 4, 2025, alongside Japan (host nation), Kyrgyzstan, and Hong Kong. Matches will be played in round-robin format, with group champions and runners-up advancing to the knockout rounds. Although Asian Games rules permit each nation to field up to three overage players, Thailand's squad has chosen not to use any.
Coach Wang revealed that the initial squad announcement included six overage players, but the situation changed due to increased commitments for the senior team with the FIFA Cup and ASEAN Cup. With older players needed as key contributors for the senior squad, the U23 coach expressed confidence in younger players to fill the gaps. He noted that younger squad members have performed well in recent training camps and are ready to step up for the Asian Games competition.
