Thailand U23 faces a major setback ahead of the U23 Asian Championship.
French-born star Erawan Garnier is likely to miss the tournament because the 2026 AFC U23 Championship does not fall within FIFA Days, giving his club RC Lens the right to refuse to release him.
Obstacles arising from FIFA regulations
The Thailand U23 team is facing a serious personnel challenge ahead of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, as young talent Erawan Garnier is almost certainly unable to join the squad. The main reason is that the tournament, held in Saudi Arabia, is not part of the FIFA Days system, allowing his club, RC Lens (France), the right to refuse to release the player.
The absence of Garnier, who once scored against PSG's youth team, is seen as a major blow to the "Young War Elephants'" attack. Coach Thawatchai admitted this is a significant challenge in his plan to build the strongest possible squad for the upcoming important tournament.
Coach Thawatchai's personnel dilemma
It's not just Erawan Garnier's case; coach Thawatchai said many other key players are also unable to participate due to conflicting club schedules. This has forced the coaching staff to look for alternative options.
"We really wanted to keep the same structure as from the SEA Games, but many players have commitments with their clubs and cannot participate," Thawatchai shared. "We need to finalize the list and get confirmation. We may call up some players from the U21 team, for example, players from Nongbua Pitchaya and Buriram United."
Although Garnier is still on the preliminary list, his chances of being included are very low and will only be confirmed at a later time.
Goals after the failure at the SEA Games
The squad challenge comes as the U23 Thailand team is determined to reassert its position after its defeat at the SEA Games 33, where it lost 2-3 to U22 Vietnam in the final despite leading 2-0. The 2026 AFC U23 Championship, taking place from January 6 to 24, is an opportunity for the "Young War Elephants" to regain their form.
According to the plan, the technical committee of the Football Association of Thailand will hold a meeting on December 23rd to finalize the preparation plans. The team will gather from December 29th, travel to Saudi Arabia on January 3rd, and play their opening match against Australia on January 8th, 2026.
