Ground: UMT Stadium, Ubon Ratchathani
Capacity: 6,000
Opened: 2017
Clubs: Ubon United (formerly) Ubon Eastern (current)
There is a growing number of impressive new football stadiums, built in the last ten years across Thailand, with UMT Stadium in the Isan city of Ubon Ratchathani being one of the most impressive.
Background
Building on it began in 2015 and is the former home of the then top-flight Ubon United, who folded in 2019 due to financial problems. The stadium was inaugurated in 2017 with a game between Ubon UMT United and Nong Bua Pitchaya. The first goal in the stadium was scored by Ubon’s Brazilian striker Tiago Chulapa
Ubon Poly competed in the Semi-Pro League of 2022-23 out of the venue, which is often used by the various university sides such as Poly and North Eastern Polytechnic Vocational College, who played in the 2023 Thailand Amateur League.
My visits
Ubon Poly 4 Ubon Kids City 2
Thai Semi-Pro League Northeast - Sunday 5th March 2023
👨👨👧👧 432 🎟️ Free
Musings of my most enjoyable first visit can be read here.
Amnatcharoen City 6 NMSS FC 1
Musings of my most enjoyable first visit can be read here.
Amnatcharoen City 6 NMSS FC 1
Thailand Amateur League - Sunday 7th May 2023
👨👨👧👧 140 🎟️ Free
Pre Match
It was a hot weekend day, and I had already been to a morning match in the Amateur League at Tung Burapha Stadium in the northern extremes of the city before returning for a spot of lunch before my second encounter.
This was much better than the first game, not least being in an excellent little stadium, which I enjoyed on my previous visit, with its quaint stands and being close to the pitch on all four sides. The addition of plenty of covered accommodation pleased me greatly.
I got to see an enjoyable match, with the winners from the next-door province of the same name having 90% of the support in attendance, who were extremely enthusiastic and friendly folk.
The opposition, Nahon Ratchasima Municipal Sports School, to give them their full title, had a five-hour journey either way, madness when you think about it, for regional amateur football. They started brighter until either bus, car, or coach lag got the better of them.
The Match
This was much better than the first game, not least being in an excellent little stadium, which I enjoyed on my previous visit, with its quaint stands and being close to the pitch on all four sides. The addition of plenty of covered accommodation pleased me greatly.
I got to see an enjoyable match, with the winners from the next-door province of the same name having 90% of the support in attendance, who were extremely enthusiastic and friendly folk.
The opposition, Nahon Ratchasima Municipal Sports School, to give them their full title, had a five-hour journey either way, madness when you think about it, for regional amateur football. They started brighter until either bus, car, or coach lag got the better of them.
The Match
It was only the actions of the Amnatcharoen keeper, Parinthon Phothiphan, who looked like he enjoyed his food and drink, which kept them level until his side upped the pace and went in at the break ahead with a goal in stoppage time from Sittisak Nimma, who scored an absolute screamer from at least thirty yards.
It was great to be in the shade with plenty of refreshments, which I bought at a nearby store. ACC took the game by the scruff of the neck after the restart, while I moved to a position behind the goal midway through, where my appearance caused some curiosity among the locals.
Nimma added a second before the impressive skipper Takoon Taothong made it 3-0 just after the hour mark. NMSS pulled one back through Ramet Bauchit, offering slight hope, but it was all but extinguished when Taothong grabbed a second.
I was getting ready for another taxi ride as sub, Satapon Simuan added a fifth, while the Korat side’s goalkeeper Kittipong Leeporphan and the woodwork played their part in keeping the score respectable. Simuan made it 6-1 just after my departure.
I needed a getaway to catch the 3.15 train from the far side of the city, with my driver delivering me with a few minutes to spare. There was a 4pm game, but my energy levels were running out quickly in the heat.
The latter match featured a team called The North Eastern Polytechnic Vocational College, all but Ubon Poly except name, who had pulled a flanker by changing their title to grab another opportunity to win promotion. They ran out 7-0 winners, and I hoped that they succeeded as UTM Stadium needed to be staging Pro League football and have a club challenging for promotion in a big city.
Train Home
It was great to be in the shade with plenty of refreshments, which I bought at a nearby store. ACC took the game by the scruff of the neck after the restart, while I moved to a position behind the goal midway through, where my appearance caused some curiosity among the locals.
Nimma added a second before the impressive skipper Takoon Taothong made it 3-0 just after the hour mark. NMSS pulled one back through Ramet Bauchit, offering slight hope, but it was all but extinguished when Taothong grabbed a second.
I was getting ready for another taxi ride as sub, Satapon Simuan added a fifth, while the Korat side’s goalkeeper Kittipong Leeporphan and the woodwork played their part in keeping the score respectable. Simuan made it 6-1 just after my departure.
I needed a getaway to catch the 3.15 train from the far side of the city, with my driver delivering me with a few minutes to spare. There was a 4pm game, but my energy levels were running out quickly in the heat.
The latter match featured a team called The North Eastern Polytechnic Vocational College, all but Ubon Poly except name, who had pulled a flanker by changing their title to grab another opportunity to win promotion. They ran out 7-0 winners, and I hoped that they succeeded as UTM Stadium needed to be staging Pro League football and have a club challenging for promotion in a big city.
Train Home
Sods Law decrees that if you want to sleep on a Thai train, there will be women screaming and selling their wares through the carriages. If you are desperate for a cold drink, there will be none to be found, and so it was on the 7 Baht ride to Kanthararom, where my wife was waiting to take me home and feed me.
I enjoyed a terrific day, which was helped later by watching my favourite Thai side, Port, beat Chonburi 3-1 on TV. It was still 35 degrees at 10pm, which necessitated some very cold beers before bedtime.
Nakhonratchasima College 4 BWS Wanderers 2
Pre Match
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I enjoyed a terrific day, which was helped later by watching my favourite Thai side, Port, beat Chonburi 3-1 on TV. It was still 35 degrees at 10pm, which necessitated some very cold beers before bedtime.
Nakhonratchasima College 4 BWS Wanderers 2
Thailand Amateur League Northeast, Southern Zone Quarter Final - Saturday 10th July 2023
👨👨👧👧 c50 🎟️ Free
Pre Match
The Amateur League continued along, filtering out teams through the knockout stages, as the eventual winner of each section hoped for promotion to Thai League 3. I was honestly not sure how promotion would work, if at all, and online information was scant.
It was a game that won’t live long for the quality on show, but many years of watching football have registered the importance of making a day of it, so if let down by a game, all is not lost, which was certainly not short of incident.
Colour Clash
It was a game that won’t live long for the quality on show, but many years of watching football have registered the importance of making a day of it, so if let down by a game, all is not lost, which was certainly not short of incident.
Colour Clash
Both sides travelled up to five hours from Korat in the west, all the way to the farthest eastern city. Madness to me, but when in Rome, etc. At least it afforded me a quality venue to view proceedings, especially with free admission.
A colour clash of sorts, too, didn’t help the spectacle. The victors were in all red with blue trim, the other mob in an orange and blue striped outfit quite similar to that of Port FC in Bangkok. Indeed, BWS played like a bunch of Port fans after a sesh at a game at the PAT Stadium.
The Match
A colour clash of sorts, too, didn’t help the spectacle. The victors were in all red with blue trim, the other mob in an orange and blue striped outfit quite similar to that of Port FC in Bangkok. Indeed, BWS played like a bunch of Port fans after a sesh at a game at the PAT Stadium.
The Match
How they won a group game and even kept a clean sheet is beyond me. It was the second time I had seen them after an earlier 1-0 defeat at Tung Burapha Stadium. I was not clamouring over eagerly for a third look after experiencing this performance.
A low shot from Nattawat Deesuksam, a simple finish by Anurak Mungdee and then a screamer from 20 yards from the boot of Patipan Duadkrathok had the game sewn up with less than half an hour on the clock.
I thought I was going to see a proper drubbing, which it had been in all but the score. BWS were puffing like Boris Johnson out jogging and trying their unfit best to make it respectable. Their only attempts came from set pieces. They were simply a yard slower than their opponents
Mungdee added the fourth ten minutes after the restart, after referee Phaithun Onkhamloon had hilariously waved away what was as stone wall a penalty as I’ve seen in ages. He perhaps felt sorry for those taking the tonking. Or maybe he wasn’t very good either.
Immediately, BWS pulled one back through Phawat Sakunkanchan and then scored in the final minute as Bandit Inmanop netted against the college side that had long since started planning their quarter-final tie.
There was a second game, between the host side, North Eastern Polytechnic Vocational College, and Roi Et PB Academy, which the Ubon side won on penalties. However, one game was enough for me as I headed off for some exercise.
My Day Out
I thought I was going to see a proper drubbing, which it had been in all but the score. BWS were puffing like Boris Johnson out jogging and trying their unfit best to make it respectable. Their only attempts came from set pieces. They were simply a yard slower than their opponents
Mungdee added the fourth ten minutes after the restart, after referee Phaithun Onkhamloon had hilariously waved away what was as stone wall a penalty as I’ve seen in ages. He perhaps felt sorry for those taking the tonking. Or maybe he wasn’t very good either.
Immediately, BWS pulled one back through Phawat Sakunkanchan and then scored in the final minute as Bandit Inmanop netted against the college side that had long since started planning their quarter-final tie.
There was a second game, between the host side, North Eastern Polytechnic Vocational College, and Roi Et PB Academy, which the Ubon side won on penalties. However, one game was enough for me as I headed off for some exercise.
My Day Out
A cracking day aside from the match. Up to feed the chickens out the front before 6am, a later lift with my wife to Kanthararom, where I used the Post Office and then the railway station, both offering outstanding value for money and customer service. 14 baht return for a 40-minute each-way journey.
Cheap, lovely food outside Kanthararom station, and a school match on the way from a brief skeg. I eventually reached the stadium by songthaew and then by taxi after I thought we were going the wrong way.
Post-match, a 50-minute walk to keep up the fitness regime to the Wrong Way Café. I’d have gone earlier, but it didn’t open until 4pm, an hour after my game finished. Some ice-cold bottles of San Mig Lite were the perfect medicine until it was time for a taxi to the station.
Cheap, lovely food outside Kanthararom station, and a school match on the way from a brief skeg. I eventually reached the stadium by songthaew and then by taxi after I thought we were going the wrong way.
Post-match, a 50-minute walk to keep up the fitness regime to the Wrong Way Café. I’d have gone earlier, but it didn’t open until 4pm, an hour after my game finished. Some ice-cold bottles of San Mig Lite were the perfect medicine until it was time for a taxi to the station.
Seniors World Cup 2026
The Seniors World Cup brings together former professional and international players aged over 40, representing their countries in a competitive tournament that has grown steadily in stature over the years.
It is an annual tournament organised by the Thai Senior Football Association. It is staged in different cities around the Land of Smiles. England were the holders arriving in Ubon Ratchathani for what turned out to be a memorable week of football and friendship.
USA 0 England 3
Ubon UMT Stadium
Seniors World Cup Group A – Wednesday 3rd June 2026
👨👨👧👧 c800 🎟️ Free
If anyone was in any doubt that the Seniors World Cup matters to the players, they would have been put to bed watching this feisty encounter.
England and the USA came into the match having won their previous two games, with the winner of this match topping the group and getting an arguably easier semi-final. The England team was packed with talent and experience. The Americans decided that turning to the dark arts was their best chance. A big mistake.
The officials failed to see the many offences going on off the ball. It led to frustration with the timing of the hydration break being perfect timing. Aaron O'Connor opened the scoring soon after with a low shot before a mishit cross from Jamie Cureton went in over keeper Gregory Stellatos at the back post.
The diminutive striker lobbed him delightfully to make it 3-0 before Thomas Greenawalt lost his head for the US. His flailing arm caught O’Connor around the head. The ref reached for a red card, and tempers boiled over. Thankfully, it wasn’t long until the halftime whistle, allowing everyone to calm down.
The second half was a display of sensible play and making changes to rest legs, with the teams playing for three consecutive days. The imperious Gareth Barry was replaced by Lee Hendrie, exemplifying the strength of the England squad, who saw the game out comfortably despite missing many chances.
An excellent day, with good company for golf, food and drink at the Wrong Way Café, and then more drinks at the excellent UMT Stadium, with England again receiving the support of a local Buddhist Orphan School making a lot of noise.
Australia 2 England 5
Ubon UMT Stadium
Seniors World Cup Semi-Final – Friday 5th June 2026
👨👨👧👧 c1,200 🎟️ Free
Another quality day out followed by an equally quality performance. The train, a tuk-tuk to the riverside rendezvous for food and drink in pleasant surroundings, before England dismantled the opposition, who were hampered by a couple of injuries and then couldn’t cope.
It was 3-0 before half-time before the Aussies pulled one back. They continued to battle valiantly but were undone by class and experience. England could even afford to miss a late penalty.
The goals came from Aaron O’Connor, who bagged a couple, Jamie Coyle, Barry Hayles, and Jamie Cureton did the job. The magnificent support offered from the local Buddhist Orphan School continued.
USA 3 Australia 0
Seniors World Cup 3rd/4th Place – Saturday 6th June 2026
The Aussies, who arrived with a smaller squad than most other sides, were down to bare bones with injuries. That said, the USA competed well all week, with injuries of their own to deal with.
The score could have been much heavier had the chances been put away. It was a similar story to their semi-final against France, where they drew 0-0 and went out 2-1 on penalties.
The four teams that finished in the lower half of their group competed in the Masters Cup for the final two days. Thailand defeated New Zealand to finish fifth overall, while Taiwan beat Laos on penalties in the wooden spoon match.
France 0 England 4
Ubon UMT Stadium
Seniors World Cup Final – Saturday 6th June 2026
👨👨👧👧 c1,500 🎟️ Free
A magnificent performance and day out to round off a truly heartwarming week. Maybe not there with Italia 90 or Euro 96, which were incredible experiences, but I’ll remember Ubon 26 forever. England are World Champions!
Friendships old and new, football, travel, food and drink. Lots of my favourite things. It’s all relative. I’ve got different heroes where I live, and I love Thai football, but this was special, seeing players I have paid to watch in the past, an hour from home. It’s as close as I’ll ever get to seeing the full team in flesh ever again.
Goals from Barry Hayles, Jamie Cureton, Aaron O’Connor and Karl Duguid saw off a spirited French side. If Cureton had his shooting boots on, it would have been a very heavy scoreline. He missed a bagful. Kevin Ellison was excellent as he had been all week.
The players' reactions showed just how much it mattered to them. Indeed, there was some real edge in the final minutes as players squared up. The local officials were quite lenient, perhaps not wanting the showpiece to be marred by red cards. The French coach was a jolly chap who made a smart substitution and diffused things.
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Great to see everyone on the pitch at the end, not least the orphan school that supported England all week. The players obliged, posing for selfies and signing autographs long after the final whistle. I will be monitoring the Thai Seniors page, hoping that health, wealth, and location allow me to attend next year. It was a great way to finish my season.
If you have enjoyed reading this article, you might enjoy watching the video I made throughout the tournament, the background and atmosphere of a remarkable week.
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