Chiangrai United Football Club (Thai: สโมสรฟุตบอลเชียงราย ยูไนเต็ด) (currently known as Singha Chiangrai United due to sponsorship reasons), is a professional football club based in Chiangrai Province, Thailand's northernmost province. The club currently competes in the Thai League 1. The club is also known as "The Beetles".
Chiangrai United has won one Thai League 1 title, 3 Thai FA Cup, 1 Thai League Cup and 2 Thailand Champions Cup in the club history.
History First title in debut season In 2009, Chiangrai United was founded and joined the newly created Thailand football setup and started in the third division league, the 2009 Regional League Division 2 Northern Region. Chiangrai United duly came out on top come to the end of the regular league season, thus claiming their first-ever championship and also crowned as the first-ever winners of the Regional League Northern Division where Watcharakorn Klaitin scored 19 goals in the season and thus becoming the only player in the club history to finished as the top scorer with more goals for the club in a season.
On winning the championship, Chiangrai United entered the 2009 Regional League Division 2, an end of season mini-league for all 5 Regional League Division 2 championship-winning teams, and finished as runners-up and promoted to Thai Division 1 League.
Second Division and top flight promotion (2010–2016) In 2010, Chiangrai United finished 3rd in the Thai Division 1 League and first-ever promoted to the top tier Thai League 1. Chiangrai United than played their first ever top flight season in the 2011 season where the club finished in 10th place
In 2016, Chiangrai United made a deal with Jarken Group, initiating a holistic marketing strategy which included business development and strengthening management structures to promote a positive image of the Chiangrai United Sports Passions as a brand to make Chiangrai United become professional and sustainable. The strategy for this deal is to design to promote Chaingrai United to become the big name club in Thailand.
Tasting success with major honours (2017–2022)
Back-to-back Thai FA Cup winners (2017–2018)
In 2017, Chiangrai United continued to make agreements with sponsors to improve the club's professional image and attract Tanaboon Kesarat. They also secured Brazilian players such as; Vander Luiz, Felipe Azevedo, Henrique Silva. Under Brazilian head coach Alexandre Gama, Chiangrai United was victorious in the 2017 Thai FA Cup final after defeating Bangkok United 4–2. This proved to be a case of redemption for Chiangrai United as winning the first piece of silverware in club-history, three days after losing to Muangthong United in the 2017 Thai League Cup final.
Chiangrai United than qualified to the 2018 AFC Champions League qualication phase where they defeated Indonesian club Bali United 3–2 in a preliminary round 2 before going on to lose against Chinese club Shanghai SIPG 1–0 in a final play-offs round for the AFC Champions League group stages.
Domestic double (2018) In the 2018 Thai League Cup final, William Henrique scored the only goal for the match which sealed Chiangrai United to win the League Cup on 20 October 2018. Seven days later, Chiangrai United than played in the 2018 Thai FA Cup Final, Chiangrai United went on to shock eventual Thai League 1 champions Buriram United at the Supachalasai Stadium where the beetles won 3–2 victory, in which Bill scored a hat-trick for the club in the final. Chiangrai United went on to win a domestic double where the club also notably win the 2018 Thailand Champions Cup
Thai League 1 champions (2019)
Chiangrai United than qualified to the 2019 AFC Champions League qualification phase where they face against Myanmar club Yangon United winning them 3–1 in a qualifying preliminary round 2 advancing to the next round facing against Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima in a qualifying play-offs round for the AFC Champions League group stages; the match finished 0–0 after extra time, with Chiangrai United narrowly losing the penalty shoot-out 4–3 at the Hiroshima Big Arch.
In October 2019, after the announcement of the appointment of Brazilian Ailton Silva as the new head coach, Chiangrai United went on to win the Thai League 1 for the first time. Chiangrai United and Buriram United ended up with identical 58 points from 30 matches. However, they were declared the winners of the league on the basis of a better head-to-head record, Chiangrai United held Buriram to a goalless draw away in the first leg in April 2019 then thrashed the Thai giants 4–0 at home in July 2019, Chiangrai United is the third club to win the top flight after Buriram United and Muangthong United since the country's top flight league was revamped in 2009. The side is commented to fare well in most big games, with compactness and discipline springing surprises. Instead of being burdened with keeping possession, they stifled opponents with a rehearsed repertoire of both defensive and pressing moves, topped off with lethal counter-attacks.
AFC Champions League debut (2020) With Chiangrai United winning the 2019 Thai League 1 title, the club gains automatic slot into the 2019 AFC Champions League thus being drawn in Group E alongside Australian club Melbourne Victory, Chinese club Beijing Guoan and Korean club FC Seoul. Chiangrai United makes it debut in the tournament losing to Melbourne Victory 1–0 on 11 February 2020 at the AAMI Park. The club than recorded their first win on 27 November 2020 with Bill scoring a brace to defeat FC Seoul 2–1 at home. Chiangrai United than bowed out from the tournament after ending at the bottom of the group stage with 5 points.
Chiangrai United than qualified to the 2021 AFC Champions League where they were drawn in group H in a centralised venue in Tashkent, Uzbekistan alongside Japanese club Gamba Osaka, Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Singaporean club Tampines Rovers. Chiangrai United went on to have their highest ever finished in the club AFC tournament history with 8 points but it wasn't enough thus the club was knockout from the group stage.
Academy development Chiangrai United opened its first youth academies in 2012. The club also regularly supplies the Thai national youth teams and Chiangrai first team squad with local talent such as Ekanit Panya, Chotipat Poomkaew, Apirak Worawong, Pharadon Pattanapol, Sarawut Yodyinghathaikul and Thakdanai Jaihan. Chiangrai youth academies play in Thailand Youth League.
Stadium
Main articles: Singha Chiangrai Stadium
Chiangrai United's home ground is the United Stadium of Chiangrai, which has also been known as the Singha Chiangrai Stadium since October 2021 due to sponsorship commitments. The stadium is situated in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand near Mae Fah Luang International Airport and has a capacity of 12,000 people. The club stadium nickname is also known as ''The Beetles Nest''.เล่าประสบการณ์: ไปเชียร์ฟุตบอลที่สนามยูไนเต็ด สเตเดี้ยม
Continental record Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate 2018 AFC Champions League Preliminary round 2 Bali United2–1 Play-off round Shanghai Port0–1 2019 AFC Champions League Preliminary round 2 Yangon United3–1 Play-off round Sanfrecce Hiroshima0–0 (3–4 p) 2020 AFC Champions League Group E Melbourne Victory2–20–14th out of 4 Beijing Guoan0–11–1 FC Seoul2–10–5 2021 AFC Champions League Group H Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors1–31–23rd out of 4 Tampines Rovers1–03–0 Gamba Osaka1–11–1 2022 AFC Champions League Group J Kitchee2–30–13rd out of 3 Vissel Kobe0–00–6
Season by season record SeasonLeague Select link to season required from chronological list.FA CupLeague CupThailand Champions CupAFC Champions LeagueTop scorerDivisionPWDLFAPtsPosNameGoals2009DIV 2 Northern2017306216541st – – – –Watcharakorn Klaitin19RL83321211122nd2010DIV 13015874432533rdR3R2 – –Wasan Natasan132011TPL3411111247524410thR4QF – –Wasan Natasan182012TPL341111124047449thSFR3 – –Nantawat Tansopa82013TPL328101432453411thQFR3 – –Leandro Assumpção92014TPL38131695547557thSFR4 – –Renan Marques172015TPL34128144257449thQFR1 – –Renan Marques102016TL31136124243458thR3R2 – –Wellington Bruno102017T134186106742604thWRU – –Felipe Azevedo182018T134151095236555thWWWPOBill92019T130161045328581stQFSFRUPOBill142020–21T13016684832544th W – WGSBill18 2021–22 T1 30 13 8 9 33 35 47 5th R3 SF RU GS Bill 8 2022–23 T1 30 12 8 10 44 42 44 5th QF R1 – GS Victor Cardozo 112023–24T1308101231353411thR2QF––Bill72024–25T1301131633513611thR3QF––Jordan EmaviweSittichok Kannoo52025–26T130 91383637407th––Itsuki Enomoto11
ChampionsRunners-upThird placePromotedRelegated
P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position N/A = No answer
TL = Thai League 1
QR1 = First Qualifying Round QR2 = Second Qualifying Round QR3 = Third Qualifying Round QR4 = Fourth Qualifying Round RInt = Intermediate Round R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3
R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5 R6 = Round 6 GR = Group stage QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals RU = Runners-up S = Shared W = Winners
Players First team squad
Out on loan
Managerial history +NamePeriodHonours Sarith Wutchuay 2009 Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul2009 Apisit ImampaiDecember 2009 – February 2010 Kajohn PunnavesFebruary 2010 – May 2010 Rungsimun SongkrohthamMay 2010 – July 2010 Stefano CugurraJuly 2010 – June 2013 Henk WismanJuly 2013 – September 2013 Anurak SrikerdSeptember 2013 – October 2013 Teerasak Po-onNovember 2013 – November 2016 Alexandre Gama December 2016 – October 20182017 Thai FA Cup2018 Thai FA Cup2018 Thailand Champions Cup Jose Alves BorgesOctober 2018 – February 2019 Ailton SilvaFebruary 2019 – November 20192019 Thai League 1 Masami Taki December 2019 – October 20202020 Thailand Champions Cup Emerson Pereira (interim)October 2020 – April 20212020–21 Thai FA Cup Emerson PereiraApril 2021 – December 2022 Gabriel MagalhãesDecember 2022 – May 2024 Xavi MoroJune 2024 – November 2024 Piyaphon PhanichakulNovember 2024 – December 2024 Wilson James Dos Santos (interim)January 2025 – February 2025 Worawut WangsawadFebruary 2025 – April 2025 Sirisak Yodyardthai August 2025 – June 2026 Worawut WangsawadJuly 2026 –present
Honours Domestic competitions League Thai League 1 Winners (1): 2019 Thai Division 1 League Third place (1): 2010 Regional League Northern Region Winners (1): 2009 Regional League Division 2 Runners-up (1): 2009
Cups FA Cup Winners (3): 2017, 2018, 2020–21 League Cup Winners (1): 2018 Runners-up (1): 2017 Thailand Champions Cup Winners (2): 2018, 2020 Runners-up (1): 2019, 2021
Double Thai FA Cup and Thailand Champions Cup: 2020–21
Treble Thai FA Cup, Thai League Cup and Thailand Champions Cup: 2018
References
External links