Thailand head coach rues Cambodia's withdrawal from SEA Games 33 football

Thailand head coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul at a press conference on Dec. 2, 2025, before the match against Timor-Leste at the SEA Games 33, taking place at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

Cambodia, which initially registered for 21 sports, pulled out of nine, including football, citing safety concerns for its delegation due to ongoing border tensions with hosts Thailand.

The withdrawal left Group A with only Thailand and Timor-Leste. In response, the SEA Games organizing committee had to move Singapore from Group C to Group A to ensure an equal distribution of three teams across the three groups.

"SEA Games is a Southeast Asian event, and we want as many countries as possible to participate and connect with each other through sports," Thawatchai said at a press conference on Tuesday. "It's a pity that Cambodia withdrew."

Thailand are aiming to reclaim the gold medal on home soil, having last won the title in 2017 in Malaysia. Since then, Vietnam won back-to-back golds in 2019 and 2021, while Indonesia claimed the title at the previous edition.

Despite the disruption, Thawatchai insisted his squad are ready.

"Cambodia withdrew, but we have plans B and C for rotating players in four matches," he added. "We have prepared very carefully for this SEA Games."

Thailand's squad have been battle-tested through the 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship and the 2026 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, followed by friendly matches against China and India. Thawatchai affirmed that he has assembled the most excellent players of Thailand’s current U22 generation.

Thailand will kick off their campaign against Timor-Leste in the opening match of Group A at Rajamangala Stadium at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Earlier this year, Thailand defeated Timor-Leste 4-0 in the group stage of the ASEAN U23 Championship.

Following the opener, the hosts will have an eight-day break before facing Singapore.

Under this year's format, the nine teams will compete in a round-robin group stage. The three group winners and the best second-placed team will advance to the semi-finals.