Lightning strike kills player and injures 12 during football match in Thailand

A footballer has died and 12 others have been injured after lightning struck the pitch during a match in Thailand.

The incident happened on Tuesday at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Kolok, in Narathiwat province, while a semi-final of the Jolo Cup 2026 was being played between teams from Thailand and Malaysia.

The match was taking place in heavy rain and poor weather conditions when the lightning strike hit the playing surface directly, according to local reports. Several players were knocked to the ground by the force of the impact.

Thailand-based winger Suphawan Aouy, 24, suffered critical injuries in the incident. Video footage circulating online appeared to capture the moment the lightning struck, followed by teammates and members of the coaching staff rushing towards the player to try to help him.

Other players were also seen falling to the ground after being affected by the strike.

Suphawan Aouy was taken urgently to a nearby hospital, where medical staff attempted to save his life. However, he died from the serious injuries he sustained.

Sungai Kolok police chief Thon Sirikhun said emergency teams had done everything possible to save the player, but he eventually died because of the severity of his injuries.

The lightning strike also left 12 other players injured. Among them was Malaysian footballer Alif Izhan Zulkefli, 22, who was taken to hospital for treatment.

No further details have been released about the condition of the remaining injured players.

The match was being played as part of the semi-finals of the Jolo Cup 2026, with the competition taking place against a backdrop of worsening weather. The reports did not provide further information about whether the game had been suspended before the lightning struck or whether play had resumed afterwards.

Aouy had only recently joined Yala FC, a club competing in Thailand’s third tier. His death brought an abrupt end to his football career in a tragedy that unfolded on the pitch.

The footage of the incident has prompted shock across sporting circles, as players and staff were caught in the middle of the match when the weather emergency occurred. The lightning strike caused multiple casualties in a matter of seconds, with emergency responders then working to treat those affected and transport the most seriously injured to hospital.

The death of Aouy has overshadowed the Jolo Cup semi-final and turned what had been a scheduled football fixture into a fatal incident involving players from both Thailand and Malaysia.