A tragic incident occurred as a 24-year-old individual lost their life in an unexpected lightning strike while participating in a football match. The unfortunate event took place on Tuesday at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok during the Golo FA Cup 2026 semi-final match between Thai and Malaysian teams. Despite being swiftly taken to a nearby hospital by emergency medical services, the victim could not survive their severe injuries.

A distressing video shared on social media captured the moment when lightning struck the field, causing chaos during the soccer game played in the rain. The footage shows Sofwan Awae, a 24-year-old player in a black-and-white striped jersey, lying motionless on the ground before his teammates rushed to his aid. Despite the efforts of the medical team, Awae succumbed to the injuries sustained during the incident, as confirmed by Sungai Golok police chief, Thun Sirikhunt.

Following the lightning strike, several players collapsed, and a total of 12 players sustained injuries during the match. Among the injured was Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, a 22-year-old Malaysian footballer who was also hospitalized for treatment. Awae, who played as a winger for SAMCOLTS, had recently signed with the Thai third-division club, Yala FC.

This unfortunate event has left the football community in shock and serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of nature’s forces during sporting events.