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Hudson: Thailand on the way to participating in the 2026 World Cup!
Coach Anthony Hudson believes in Thailand's World Cup chances in 2026. After a draw against South Korea, the "war elephants" are aiming for the 2027 Asian Cup.
Hudson: Thailand on the way to participating in the 2026 World Cup!
Football fans in Thailand can breathe a sigh of relief: Coach Anthony Hudson is convinced that the Thai national team has the chance to take part in the upcoming World Cup with the right tools. On October 22, 2025, Hudson was officially appointed head coach of the U23 and national teams, and on October 21, the Thai Football Association (FAT) announced his separation from Japanese coach Masatada Ishii. Hudson brings a wealth of experience, including stints with Bahrain and the US, and is proud to lead the War Elephants. Vietnam.vn reports that he firmly believes in the abilities of the young players, but also emphasizes the importance of experienced players in order to create a successful combination of youth and experience in the team.
The coming weeks are crucial for the Thai team. The first qualifying game against Sri Lanka for the 2027 Asian Cup is scheduled for November 13th. Hudson has already made it clear that he wants to include both domestic and foreign coaches in his team to ensure broader expertise. These moves could be key to improving the Thai team's international competitiveness.
Successful draw against South Korea
The Thai team recently gave a sign of hope with a 1-1 draw against South Korea. In a hard-fought match that took place on Matchday 3 of the World Cup qualification, Thailand had the opportunity to score points against the favorites, who have already taken part in a World Cup. The farang reports that the team showed a fighting spirit and Suphanat Mueanta scored the equalizer in the 61st minute. Heung-min Son had previously scored the first goal for South Korea. The draw catapulted Thailand to second place in Group C and reinforces belief that qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals is possible.
The World Cup qualification table currently looks like this:
| Place | team | games | Points | Goal difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea | 7 | 8 | +2 |
| 2 | Thailand | 3 | 4 | +1 |
| 3 | China | 3 | 4 | +2 |
| 4 | Singapore | 1 | 3 | -1 |
Outlook for the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will be a very special event as the number of participants has been increased from 32 to 48 teams. This change opens up the opportunity for numerous Asian teams, including Thailand, to qualify. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) expects 8 to 9 Asian teams to enter the competition. The first round of qualification is already underway and will last until November 2025. The approach in several rounds is intended to qualify not only for the World Cup, but also for the upcoming Asian Championships in 2027 in Saudi Arabia. fussball-wm.pro informed that the first two group places secure the coveted tickets for the next tournament.
The euphoria generated by the draw against South Korea could prove to be a valuable step towards World Cup qualification. Hudson and his team are doing everything they can to further advance Thai football. Fans can be excited to see what the next games will bring!