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Footballer dies after lightning strikes during a match in Thailand
06th August, 2026 11:16 AM
A football match in southern Thailand ended in tragedy after a lightning strike hit the playing field, killing one player and leaving at least 12 others injured.
The victim, 24-year-old Sofwan Awae, was critically hurt when lightning struck Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok during Tuesday’s, August 4, 2026 fixture, according to local police.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene and attempted to save the winger’s life, but he later died from his injuries. Police chief Thun Sirikhunt confirmed the fatality, as reported by Bernama.
Videos widely shared online captured the frightening moment a bolt of lightning struck close to several players before a deafening blast echoed around the stadium.
Players wearing black-and-white striped shirts immediately sprinted to Awae, turned him onto his back and performed CPR while waiting for medical personnel.
Authorities said 12 footballers, including one Malaysian player, sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.
The match formed part of the Golok FA Cup, an amateur competition involving teams from both Thailand and Malaysia. Tuesday’s game featured SAMCOLTS against Abu x Nong Sirin.
Awae, who operated as a winger for SAMCOLTS, had only recently completed a move to Thai third-division club Yala FC.
Following the heartbreaking incident, Yala FC paid tribute to their new signing, saying: “We extend our condolences to the family of our new FC Yala player, Sofwan Awae.”
Deadly lightning incidents are a recurring danger in Thailand. Data from the country’s Department of Disease Control shows that between 2020 and 2024, at least 283 people were struck by lightning nationwide, with many losing their lives instantly.
Earlier this year, lightning killed an engineering student and his aunt while they were sheltering inside a hut in Lampang province. In another incident in May, a 30-year-old pregnant woman died after lightning struck a tree beneath which she and her husband had sought cover following a fishing trip in Uthai Thani province.
The latest tragedy occurred on the same day that lightning strikes claimed the lives of at least 14 people in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand, where most of the victims were farm workers caught outdoors.
