India, Aug. 6 -- A 24-year-old Thai footballer named Sofwan Awae died and 12 other players were injured after a sudden lightning strike hit the pitch during a regional Golok FA Cup semi-final match at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok, southern Thailand, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

Footballer Dead and Injured After Strikes During Football Match

Sofwan Awae, a 24-year-old winger who played for SAMCOLTS and had recently signed with Thai third-tier club Yala FC. 12 other players-including a Malaysian footballer-were injured and rushed to a local hospital for medical treatment.

The strike occurred around 5:30 PM local time during heavy monsoon rain as the teams SAMCOLTS and Abu x Nong Sirin played in the cross-border amateur tournament.

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