(Lightning Strike kills Thai Footballer During Match. Photo by CNA)
A 24-year-old Thai footballer d£@d and 12 others sustained injuries when a lightning strike struck the playing field during a regional cup semi-final match at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok, southern Thailand on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
Sofwan Awae, a winger who had recently signed with Thai third-tier club Yala FC, collapsed instantly after the strike.
He had formally joined the club on July 29, 2026, having previously played for Pattani FC, where he scored seven goals across 18 appearances and contributed to the team’s promotion to Thai League 2.
At the time of the incident, he was representing SAMCOLTS in the cross-border amateur tournament.
The strike occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time during intense monsoon rainfall as the match reached its conclusion.
Video documentation captured a sudden lightning flash striking the wet ground, generating an explosion and flame discharge.
Teammates and emergency responders immediately administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the field, but Awae succumbed to severe cardiac arrest and extensive burn injuries despite rapid response and transport to a local medical facility.
Twelve additional players, including one Malaysian footballer, were injured and transported to hospital for medical care.
Meteorological analysis indicated that the storm cloud responsible for the strike was unusually low, positioned approximately 300 metres directly above the stadium.
The match had entered extra time under rapidly deteriorating conditions characterised by powerful winds and torrential precipitation.
FC Yala’s board, coaching staff and players issued an emotional statement expressing deepest condolences to Awae’s family.
The Football Association of Thailand is reportedly reviewing safety protocols for regional competitions to ensure match officials mandate immediate match suspension upon detection of thunder or threatening atmospheric conditions above open fields.
The tragic incident has prompted immediate examination of weather safety procedures across local football associations regarding the circumstances permitting matches to proceed or conclude under severe thunderstorm conditions.
❗Footage shows the moment a lightning strike hit a football player in Thailand during a semi final match, killing him instantly, the strike lightning injured 12 others as a monsoon storm swept through the area 🇹🇭 pic.twitter.com/cz9ChNxlYk
— Tannie تاني 🇵🇸 (@putin_76) August 6, 2026