Safwan Awae was 24 years old and had signed with Yala FC just a week earlier.
On Tuesday, he was playing extra time in a Golok FA Cup semifinal at Santipap Stadium, in southern Thailand, when the storm-laden sky unleashed a lightning bolt that struck directly onto the field. The match was never stopped, not even amid the heavy rain that had been falling for minutes.
Awae was rushed to Sungai Kolok hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him. Nine other players were injured, including a 22-year-old Malaysian footballer. The Thai Football Federation and his club sent condolences to the family, while the video of the strike went viral on social media ⚡🙏
🔴: Hours ago in Thailand, during a friendly match, a lightning bolt struck a striker for the Thai club Yala during the match, and he died immediately…
The striker’s name is Safwan Awae “Safwan Awae” and he is 24 years old, and here is the clip of the moment the lightning bolt struck him directly on the field, captured in full. By God, it is a terrifying and awe-inspiring scene pic.twitter.com/zQcpUwVtHS
— MOATH | Muath (@M0ATH) August 5, 2026