War Elephants welcome back their No 1 Chanathip

Chanathip Songkrasin has been recalled to the national team after the crafty playmaker was included on Wednesday in a 23-strong Thai squad for this month’s Fifa Day break the War Elephants international games.

Thailand hopes to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which will be hosted in Saudi Arabia, via a qualifying tournament that will send six countries to the 24-nation finals.

Thailand face a warm-up against Afghanistan on March 21 before confronting Sri Lanka in their first of two Asian Cup qualifying competition games four days later.

Both matches will happen at Rajamangala National Stadium.

Thailand are in Group D of the Asian Cup qualifiers with Turkmenistan, Taiwan and Sri Lanka.

Twenty-four teams will compete for six slots at the finals in Saudi Arabia 2027, where they will join the 18 nations that have automatically qualified.

Attacking midfielder Chanathip will be paired with Supachok Sarachat, with extra brigade playing for JS-League side Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.

The other recall is Ratchaburi midfielder Thanawat Suenchitthaworn, who has also been brought in the first time since making his national team debut in the 2020 Asean Cup.

The only new face on the list released by the Football Association of Thailand is second-tier Ayutthaya United goalkeeper Phuwadol Pholsongkram.

The players will gather for training on March 17 at the BG Training Centre in the Rangsit area.

Buriram in ACL Elite last 8

Buriram United advanced to the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-finals, thanks to a tough 1-0 victory against Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia on Tuesday night.

Thailand forward Suphanat Mueanta scored the only goal of the game in the 58th minute to put the Thai champions into the last eight on aggregate as they secured a place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2013.

Johor had the ball in the net of Buriram in the first minute when Bergson netted a close-range rebound but it was ruled out for offside after a VAR check.