Thai Footballer Sofwan Awae Dies After Lightning Strike During Regional Cup Match
Sofwan Awae was killed after a lightning strike during a semifinal match at Santiphap Stadium in southern Thailand. Twelve others were injured and taken to a当地院
A tragedy struck a regional football semifinal in southern Thailand when 24-year-old winger Sofwan Awae was hit by lightning mid-match and died. The incident took place on Tuesday evening, August 4, 2026, at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok, Narathiwat province, near the border with Malaysia.
Lightning hit during Golok FA Cup semifinal
According to reports, Awae was playing for local side SAMCOLTS against Abu x Nong Sirin in the Golok FA Cup, an amateur tournament that includes mixed teams from Thailand and Malaysia. Heavy rain arrived around 5:30 pm local time, and video later shared online showed a sudden lightning strike close to a cluster of players.
Witnesses said the strike produced a bright flash and several athletes fell to the ground at the same time. Teammates rushed to Awae first. They turned him onto his back and tried to help him while waiting for medical staff to reach the field. Emergency responders then transported him to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but he could not be revived.
Twelve injured, including a Malaysian player
In the same lightning discharge, twelve other players were also injured. They were taken to Sungai Golok Hospital for treatment, with some suffering burns. The report also mentioned Malaysian player Mohammad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, aged 22, as one of the injured.
The death has brought fresh attention to weather safety in outdoor sports, especially in amateur and regional tournaments. It has renewed demands for stricter use of lightning-detection systems and for matches to be stopped when dangerous weather is detected. Thailand has seen other lightning deaths in recent years, including earlier incidents reported in 2026.
Awae’s family and clubs received messages of sympathy after the incident. Yala FC, the third-tier club he had joined only days earlier, expressed condolences to his family. The Football Association of Thailand also shared grief with Awae’s friends and the football community.
