The Thailand vs. Iraq final at the 2025 King's Cup. Iraq defeated host Thailand 1-0 in the final of the annual friendly tournament, on 7/9.

However, the match's highlight wasn't the gameplay, but a violent incident.

A number of Thai players, both substitutes and those on the field, rushed towards Ali, throwing punches. The scuffle broke into smaller groups, with one Iraqi player punching a member of the home team's coaching staff. The away team's players also rushed to protect Ali and quickly escorted him off the field to prevent further attacks. After several minutes, the brawl ended.

The Thailand vs. Indonesia match in the 2023 SEA Games final. The drama and quality of the SEA Games 32 final were overshadowed by two brawls between the teams towards the end of the match.

In the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time, Thailand equalized at 2-2 thanks to Yotsakorn. Several of their members ran to the Indonesian technical area to celebrate and provoke, leading to the first brawl.

The draw in regulation time led to extra time. In the 91st minute, Thai defender Songchai Thongcham made an error, allowing Irfan Jauhari to chip the ball over goalkeeper Soponwit, making it 3-2.

At this point, a member of the Indonesian coaching staff ran to the Thai technical area in retaliation, sparking the second brawl. Indonesian team manager Kombes Sumardji, who tried to intervene, also became a victim of the fight.

The match ended 5-2 in favor of Indonesia, with Thailand playing with eight men against ten. In total, the referee issued seven red cards and 17 yellow cards.

Five players and nine coaching staff members from Thailand and Indonesia were subsequently banned for six matches by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The Arema FC vs. Persebaya Surabaya match at Kanjuruhan Stadium in 2022. At least 125 people died after fans invaded the pitch and clashed at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, on 1/10/2022.

Arema fans stormed the field, attacking their own players, forcing police to deploy riot control measures. The high number of casualties was attributed to a stampede when police fired tear gas.

Indonesian media reported that the police should not have used tear gas, as it has been the cause of many football disasters in the past. However, some argued that it was the only option as the police were under attack. Their vehicles were vandalized by a group of violent fans.

The government also ordered a comprehensive security and infrastructure inspection of all stadiums and demanded improvements to safety procedures in line with international standards. FIFA pledged to support Indonesia in reforming its football, including establishing a FIFA office in Jakarta and cooperating with the government to rebuild the national football system.

The Indonesia vs. Malaysia match in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. The match at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (Jakarta) on 5/9/2019 was suspended for 10 minutes due to Indonesian fans throwing flares, bottles, and hard objects towards the Malaysian fan section.

Frustrated by their team's loss, Indonesian fans continued to cause trouble. Police had to escort the players and a group of Malaysian fans to a safe area within Bung Karno Stadium to avoid being pursued by aggressive individuals.

In addition, the Indonesian government had to officially apologize to Malaysia and commit to strengthening security measures at international matches to prevent further violence on the pitch.

The Malaysia vs. Saudi Arabia match in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. At Shah Alam Stadium on 8/9/2015, Malaysia opened the scoring but trailed Saudi Arabia 1-2 until the 88th minute. At this point, a large group of home fans in the corner of the goal threw numerous flares, smoke bombs, and even flying firecrackers onto the field.

The Hong Kong referee had to suspend the match. Smoke bombs continued to be thrown. When flying firecrackers, which could reach the middle of the pitch and endanger players, were thrown, the match was abandoned. The Saudi Arabian players rushed to the dressing room, while their fans reported being attacked by more than 20 locals wearing Malaysian team jerseys.

Domestically, the Malaysian government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports strongly criticized the fans' behavior and the lax management of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). The then-president of FAM resigned, and the national team coach also left his position. The "Ultras Malaya" fan group was identified as the organizers of the flare and smoke bomb throwing, accusing FAM of incompetent stadium management.

Hong Duy

Photo: Ball Thai, Reuters