Bangkok United F.C.

History

Origins of the club: "Bangkok University" (1988–2008)

The club was originally formed as Bangkok University in 1988 as a team for students at Bangkok University's Rangsit Campus in Pathum Thani province, just north of Bangkok, the club have gone from provincial football, and winning university-level titles, to being a professionally run outfit in the top flight in the Thai Premier League.

An era of titles

Along the way to the Top flight, they won the Thai Division 1 League in 2003 and even captured the 2006 Thailand Premier League title against the odds, which has also enabled the club to taste life in the AFC Champions League.

The club appeared in the 2007 AFC Champions League but played their home matches in the group stage away from the club's home. The first match on 7 March 2007 against Korea's Chunnam Dragons was played at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Bangkok and the second, on 25 April against Indonesia's Arema Malang, was played at the Thai Army Sports Stadium in Bangkok, where tickets cost 50 baht. Both matches ended 0–0. The third, against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale, was played at the Thai Army Sports Stadium. The team has failed to qualify for the next stage.

Stale performances

Bangkok University always used the Bangkok University Stadium for domestic competitions until the end of the 2008 Thailand Premier League season. The stadium was based on the Bangkok University's Rangsit Campus and had a capacity of 5,000, currently used by the club as a training ground.

Development of club's name (2009)

At the start of the 2009 season, the club changed their club name from Bangkok University to Bangkok United with a partnership with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to be in line with the Football Association of Thailand's (FAT) new regulations that all teams in the top flight must be registered as limited companies. They also changed their club nickname to 'Bangkok Angels', and were officially unveiled on 4 March 2009.

Also, with this name change, the club relocated to a new stadium, the Thai-Japanese Stadium which was based further center in Greater Bangkok. The stadium is for multi-use, such as athletics and football and holds a capacity of 10,320. The stadium was also shared by Thai Port whilst they waited for their stadium to be upgraded. On 31 May 2009, after 5 home matches, the club returned to using Bangkok University Stadium as a home ground again until the renovations of Thai-Japanese Stadium were finished before the start of 2009 season's second leg in August. Bangkok United narrowly escaped relegation in the 2009 Thai Premier League.

Resurgence and relegation (2010–2014)

In the 2010 Thai Premier League season, Bangkok United was backed by Thai media company True Corporation. The early season optimism did not last long and the 2010 campaign ended in relegation. Bangkok United only won two home games all season. Rather surprisingly the two victories were against high-fliers Buriram PEA and Chonburi. Incidentally, both victories were achieved at the Bangkok University Stadium after they switched their home fixtures from the Thai-Japanese Stadium to the university midway through the season. Bangkok United than played in the 2011 Thai Division 1 League where they go one to finished in sixth place in the league. Bangkok United than ended the 2012 Thai Division 1 League in third place seeing the club promoted back to the top flight in the 2013 season after spending two seasons in the second division.

Rise to prominence (2015–''present'')

In the 2015 season, Bangkok United move to the Thammasat Stadium to pass the assignment of AFC Champions League stadium regulation. Brazilian head coach Alexandré Pölking improved the club during the season before to finish fifth in the Thai Premier League. Since 2015, the club became one of big club in Thailand league. The team under Pölking has been widely praised for instilling an energetic, play with a galivanting style of attacking football reaching levels of intensity that are rarely seen in this league.

Entering the 2016 season, Bangkok United ended in second place in the Thai League 1 and created history by claiming 75 points – the club's highest points in a single season. The team missed an opportunity to qualify for the 2016 AFC Champions League by failing to beat Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim in the qualifying play-offs match.

In the 2017 season, Bangkok United started winning 1–0 against Navy on the opening day in the league. Nevertheless, The team managed to end their season on a high note by finishing third in the Thai League 1 and reaching the 2017 Thai FA Cup final, losing 4–2 to Chiangrai United. Despite coming third, The club managed to be the league highest scorers with 97 goals from 34 games, making them the most productive team in the division by far and finishing just one short of breaking a record set by Buriram United themselves in 2015. A big contributing factor to this was the goals from attacking duo Dragan Bošković and Mario Gjurovski who netted 50 goals between them.

In the 2018 season, Bangkok United finished the league in second place with 71 points.{{cite news |access-date=5 October 2023 |archive-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111143635/https://football.kapook.com/news-30567 |url-status=live

In the 2022–23 season, Bangkok United ended in second place with 62 points and also ended up as the runners-up in the 2022–23 Thai FA Cup thus seeing the club qualifying to the 2023–24 AFC Champions League. Bangkok United than won the 2023 Thailand Champions Cup after beating 2022–23 league champions Buriram United 2–0 on 5 August 2023.

Return to the AFC Champions League and Thai FA Cup champions

In 2023, Bangkok United returns to the AFC Champions League group stage being drawn in Group F with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Kitchee SC and Lion City Sailors. On 20 September 2023, the club plays its first AFC Champions League match away from home coming back from 1–0 down to eventually winning the game to 1–2 with goals from club captain, Everton and Thitiphan Puangchan at the Jalan Besar Stadium. On 4 October 2023, Bangkok United secured a famous 3–2 home victory against Korean champions, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors taking them to the top of the group with 6 points on matchday 2. Bangkok United went on to become group leaders with 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 lost, being 1 point ahead of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors thus seeing the club qualifying to the round of 16. Bangkok United then faced off against 2022 J1 League champions, Yokohama F. Marinos where both team settled for a 2–2 draw in the first leg. While in the second leg, Bangkok United managed to hold on Yokohama F. Marinos until extra-time where they conceded a late penalty in the 120+2th minute. Bangkok United lost 3–2 on aggregate and was knocked out by the eventual runners-up of the tournament.

2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage - Group F

Bangkok United ended up the 2023–24 season in second place with 61 points where the club won the 2023–24 Thai FA Cup in a penalties shootout against Dragon Pathumwan Kanchanaburi. Bangkok United then qualified to the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying play-offs facing against Chinese club Shandong Taishan on 13 August 2024. However, Bangkok United failed to qualified to the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite after losing 4–3 on penalties shootout thus seeing the club entering the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two being drawn in Group G alongside Singaporean club Tampines Rovers, Hong Kong club Lee Man and Vietnamese club Nam Định. Bangkok United went on to top the group in the AFC Champions League Two with 13 points seeing the team advance to the round of 16. In the round of 16, Bangkok United faced off against Australian club Sydney FC where Thitiphan Puangchan scored an 90+6 stoppage time equaliser which sees the match ended at 2–2 at the Sydney Football Stadium. In the second leg at home, Bangkok United went on to lose 3–2 in extra time bowing out from the tournament with a 5–4 losing aggregate.

Becoming the 2024–25 runners-up in the league, Bangkok United sees themselves qualified for 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying play-off and also the regional 2025–26 ASEAN Club Championship. In the ASEAN Club Championship, Bangkok United was then drawn in the group of death alongside regional powerhouse with Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim, Vietnamese club Nam Định, Singaporean club Lion City Sailors who went on to become the finalist of the 2025 AFC Champions League Two final and Cambodian club Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng who was the finalist of the 2025 AFC Challenge League final.

Academy development

Bangkok United signed a collaboration agreement with Surasakmontree School and Bangkok Christian College. These agreements resulted in the introduction of young players from these schools joining the first team such as Sasalak Haiprakhon, Sarayut Sompim, Jakkit Wachpirom, Anusith Termmee, Nattawut Suksum, Wisarut Imura, and Guntapon Keereeleang.

Bangkok United operate Youth and Junior Youth teams as part of their academy to nurture local talent under a big project "cp-dreams." (Thai lit. ซีพี สานฝัน...ปันโอกาส). In 2019, 7 youth players of "cp-dreams." project from Bangkok Christian College were call-ups to Thailand U-12 and they helped Thailand U-12 to finish in third place in U-12 Junior Soccer World Challenge football tournament. – beat Tokyo Verdy Junior, 2–0 beat Barcelona, 1–0 and beat JFA Training Center Osaka, 2–1.

Stadium

Bangkok United spend most of their decorated days playing their home ground at the Thammasat Stadium from 2016 until 2025. The stadium can hold up to 25,000 capacity where it can include fixtures in the Thai League 1 and AFC Champions League, due to its larger capacity and ability to meet continental competition requirements In April 2025, Bangkok United announced that the club would relocate its home matches to True BG Stadium beginning from the 2025–26 Thai League 1 season.The stadium is currently shared with BG Pathum United. Previously known for its iconic three-sided main stand, the newly constructed fourth stand expanded the stadium's capacity to 15,114 spectators. It is located close to Bangkok. Bangkok United’s move to True BG Stadium reflected the club’s ambition to elevate its profile domestically and in regional competitions, while strengthening ties within its corporate and sporting partnerships.

Stadium and locations

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

List of Bangkok United jersey since their interceptions in 2009.

Affiliated clubs

• JPN FC Tokyo (2017–present) :Bangkok United signed a partnership agreement with J1 League, FC Tokyo in September 2017. There is the deal to work together at developing the academy players, strengthen the bond between two teams in order to improve the over all top team level and creating a new business.

Players

Current squad

Under-23s and Academy

;True Bangkok United U-21 Squad For PEA U21 Youngster League 2025 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U23 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21 U21

Out on loan

Management and staff

Honours

Domestic competitions

League

• Thai League 1
  • Winners (1) : 2006
  • Runners-up (4): 2016, 2018, 2022–23, 2023–24
• Thai League 2
  • Winners (1) : 2002–03

Cups

• FA Cup
  • Winners (1): 2023–24
  • Runners-up (2): 2017, 2022–23
• Thailand Champions Cup
  • Winners (1): 2023

Player records

|– 2006 Thailand Premier League – 2002–03 Thai League 2 |- |THA | |- |THA | |- |THA Suwaroch Apiwatwarachai | |- |THA | |- |POR | |- |THA | |- |BRA | |- |AUS (interim) | |- |THA | |- |AUS | |- |THA (2) |– 2023–24 Thai FA Cup – 2023 Thailand Champions Cup |}

Season by season record

• (1), (2). Brackets with numbers inside indicates the level of division within the Thai football league system
• N/A = No answer

Continental record

References

References

1. [https://www.truebangkokunitedfc.com/about-us-new.html CLUB HISTORY 2505–PRESENT]. ''truebangkokunitedfc.com''
2. [https://www.siamsport.co.th/football-thailand/thai-fa-cup/22029/ ทรู แบงค็อก ยูไนเต็ดกับอาถรรพ์แชมป์แรกที่ตามหา]
3. [https://www.siamsport.co.th/football-thailand/thaileague-1/27865/ จาก ม.กรุงเทพ สู่ ทรู แบงค็อกฯ เข้าชิงหนแรก ซิวถ้วยแชมป์ทันที]
4. "ทรู แบงค็อกฯ จ่อทำลายสถิติตลอดกาลสโมสรไทยถ้วยเอเชีย".
5. "CLUB ROUTE 2505–PRESENT".
6. "Club History 2505–Present".
7. "5 ทีมเปลี่ยนมือแถมเปลี่ยนชื่อตามนายใหม่".
8. "แข้งเทพเปิดตัว ทุ่ม30ล. เล็งติดท็อปไฟฟ์".
9. "ส่องขุมกำลัง 5 ทีม แย่งแชมป์ไทยลีก 2017".
10. "'แข้่งเทพ' เปลี่ยนใช้สนาม มธ.รังสิต เป็นรังเหย้าปีหน้า".
11. "TRUE TALK : เจาะแท็กติกบุกลืมตาย ของ "มาโน่ โพลกิ้ง" นัดคว่ำสิงห์เจ้าท่า".
12. "บทสรุปลีกไทย 2016 หลังยืนยันมติยุติการแข่งขัน".
13. "สุดเดือด 4 แดง! เชียงรายไล่ขยี้แบงค็อก 4-2 ซิวแชมป์ช้าง เอฟเอคัพ".
14. ""แข้งเทพ" ผนึกกำลัง สุรศักดิ์มนตรี สร้างอะคาเดมี่ ดึง น้าติ๊ก นั่งผอ.".
15. "ซีพี จับมือ ทรูแบงค็อก-กรุงเทพคริสเตียน สานต่อโครงการปั้นเยาวชนเข้าสโมสรฟุตบอลอาชีพ รุ่น 3".
16. "ซีพีสานฝัน...ปันโอกาส ปั้นเยาวชนเข้าสโมสรฟุตบอลอาชีพ รุ่นที่ 3".
17. (August 2025). ["สมาคมฯ ร่วมกับโตโยต้า แถลงข่าว เปิดตัวนักกีฬา Toyota Thailand U-12"](http://www.fathailand.org/news/4520}}{{Dead link).
18. "U-12 Junior Soccer World Challenge 2019".
19. (17 April 2025). "ทรู แบงค็อก ย้ายสนามเหย้าไป บีจี สเตเดี้ยม เริ่มฤดูกาล 2025/26".
20. "แข้งเทพติดปีก! บียูจับมือเอฟซีโตเกียวเป็นพันธมิตรลูกหนัง-ส่ง 2 ดาวรุ่งทดสอบฝีเท้า".
21. "About partnership with Bangkok United Football Club (Thai League Division 1)".
22. (20 March 2014). "Thailand – List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.