Bangkok: "Madam Pang" (Madam Pangkorn) has addressed concerns surrounding the absence of live broadcasts of the ASEAN Football Championship on free-to-air TV for the first time in the tournament's 30-year history. Meanwhile, the Thai national team coach is concentrating on the players' physical recovery.

According to Thai News Agency, the Thai men's national football team, led by coach Anthony Hudson, conducted a training session at BGTC 3 stadium in Pathum Thani province following their return from Laos. The team is gearing up for their second group B match against Malaysia in the ASEAN "Hyundai Cup 2026". After their impressive 5-0 win over Laos, the emphasis has been on ensuring players are physically recuperated. The team is scheduled for a rest day today, with training set to continue on July 28th.

Hudson highlighted the importance of adapting to the rigorous match schedule following the game against Malaysia, with matches occurring every three days. He expressed confidence that the athletes would improve their match fitness progressively with each game.

The issue of the championship not being broadcast live on free-to-air TV has sparked discussions among fans. One football enthusiast reached out to "Madam Pang" Nualphan Lamsam, President of the Football Association of Thailand, regarding this matter. Madam Pang clarified on her fan page that the tournament is under the jurisdiction of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), and not the Football Association of Thailand. The AFF handles the sale of broadcasting rights through market mechanisms, with True acquiring the rights for this season.

The upcoming match schedule includes Thailand facing Malaysia on August 1st at Rajamangala National Stadium, followed by a game against the Philippines on August 4th at New Clark City Athletic. The team will then compete against Myanmar on August 8th, again at Rajamangala National Stadium. All matches are set to kick off at 8:00 PM.