Laos national football team

The Laos national football team () is the men's national football team that represents the Laos in international football. It is governed by the Lao Football Federation.

History Laos established their national football association in 1951. The Southeast Asian nation is still waiting to make its entrance into a major international competition. Laos have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, AFC Asian Cup or Asian Games and as an international side, their appearances have been restricted to regional tournaments such as the Southeast Asian Games and the AFF Championship. After years of internal strife, Laos focused on economic and political recovery. With the country achieving political stability, football has made an impact on Laotians.

Since making their appearance at the 1995 Southeast Asian Games, Laos has competed in the inaugural 1996 AFF Championship, drawing against Vietnam 1–1 and winning against Cambodia 1–0. Although they are new to the regional tournaments, Laos has displayed a fiery passion and talent. In 1995, they beat Brunei and Philippines and two years later in the 1997 Southeast Asian Games held in Jakarta, they also beat Malaysia 1–0 and Philippines 4–1. Domestic competitions are also active with over 60 clubs competing at various levels. Domestic football is amateur although most of the top teams are drawn from government ministries and public services. In the qualifying preliminary rounds for the 2004 Asian Cup, Laos beat Bangladesh 2–1. In the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification, Laos qualified for the second round as a lucky loser after Guam and Nepal both withdrew from the competition, but proceeded to lose all its games (against Qatar, Iran and Jordan). They also advanced to the second round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, after defeating Cambodia 8–6 on aggregate. In the second round, they lost to China 13–3 on aggregate. Laos has defeated their much more established counterparts such as Brunei, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.

Laos' first appearance in a continental tournament was in 2014, when they played at the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. In 2016, Laos were invited to the inaugural 2016 AFC Solidarity Cup held in Kuching being grouped with Macau, Sri Lanka and Mongolia. In the first match, Laos won Sri Lanka 2–0 before losing to Macau 1–4 but bounced back with another win against Mongolia 3–0 sending the team to the knockout stage. They would go on to face Nepal in the semi-finals and were 2–2 at the end of extra time but lost in the penalty shootout, thus bowing out from the cup.

In 2023, Laos participated in the first round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification facing against Nepal. On 12 October 2023, Laos contested in a 1–1 draw at the Dasharath Rangasala in Kathmandu but lost 1–0 at home suffering a 2–1 aggregate. Laos would then go on to play in the 2024 ASEAN Championship after playing just two friendlies match against Malaysia and Thailand in November 2024 right before the tournament began.

2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup On the opening match of the inaugural 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup on 24 September 2026, Laos defeated Brunei 3–1 at the Mong Kok Stadium.

Team image Kits Kit provider Period FBT 1998 Adidas 2004 Deffo 2006–2008 FBT 2008–2019 Grand Sport 2020 EVO 2022 Grand Sport 2023–2024 Jogarbola 2025–present

Laos's current kit sponsor is Jogarbola. The contract started in June 2025. Laos was also previously sponsored by Adidas, FBT, Deffo, Evo and Grand Sport. The traditional home colour for the team is all red with white trim and the away colour is all white with red trim. Occasionally, the team wore dark blue short as home jersey and all blue as away jerseys.

Results and fixtures

2026

Coaching staff

Position Name Team manager Khonesamai Chanthavongsay Head coach Vladica Grujic Assistant coach Suphachai Klangkrasea Kanlaya Sysomvang Goalkeeper coach Chanthakhad Sianphongsay Fitness coach Bounlap Siliamphone Physiotherapists Sivilay Sihathep Doctor Buaphan Sihavong Kit manager Sengdeuan Syyapan Souksomphone Vongkhamphouy Media manager Thipphakone Phakasy

Managerial history

NamePeriodMatchesWinsDrawsLossesWin % Songphu Phongsa January 1996 – December 1999 Outhensackda Vatthana July 1999 – June 2002 Vangchay Muangmany February 2000 – May 2000 Boris Zhuravlyov January 2001 – June 2001 1 0 0 1 0.00 Soutsakhone Oudomphet March 2002 – April 2003 Dominique Fernandez March 2003 – September 2003 Saythong Syphasay October 2003 – October 2004 7 0 1 6 0.00 Bounlap Khenkitisack October 2004 – September 2006 5 1 0 4 20.00 Saythong Syphasay (2) October 2006 – January 2008 7 3 1 3 42.86 Valeriy Vdovin February 2008 – November 2008 4 3 0 1 75.00 Saysana Savatdy December 2008 – July 2009 3 0 0 3 0.00 Alfred Riedl July 2009 – July 2010 5 1 2 2 20.00 David Booth July 2010 – December 2010 6 1 3 2 16.67 Bounlap Khenkitisack (2) January 2011 – February 2011 2 0 1 1 0.00 Hans-Peter Schaller February 2011 – December 2011 4 1 0 3 25.00 Kokichi Kimura May 2012 – January 2014 18 4 5 9 22.22 Norio Tsukitate January 2014 – July 2014 5 0 1 4 0.00 David Booth August 2014 – May 2015 10 4 1 5 40.00 Steve Darby June 2015 – May 2016 6 0 1 5 0.00 Valakone Phomphakdy (interim) May 2016 – December 2016 2 0 1 1 0.00 Vernsavanh Sivisay (interim) 12–21 October 2016 2 1 0 1 50.00 Mike Wong June 2017 – August 2018 3 1 0 2 33.33 V. Sundramoorthy 15 October 2018 – 2019 8 1 3 4 12.50 V. Selvaraj December 2021 4 0 0 4 0.00 Michael Weiß 7 January 2022 – 5 June 2023 13 3 1 9 23.07 Kanlaya Sysomvang (interim) 20 September 2023 – 13 August 2024 2 0 1 1 0 Ha Hyeok-jun 14 August 2024 – 2 January 2026 12 1 3 8 8.33 Vladica Grujic 20 February 2026 – 5 1 0 4 20.00

Players Current squad The following 23 players were called up for the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup.

Caps and goals as of 27 September 2026, after the match against the Hong Kong.

Recent call-ups The following players had been called up to the squad within 12 months preceding the above draft.

PRE

PRE PRE

INJ

PRE PRE

INJ Withdrew from the squad due to injury PRE Included in the preliminary squad or on standby RET Retired from the team SUS Serving suspension from the team WD Withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue

Player records

Players in bold are still active with Laos.

Most appearances

RankPlayerCapsGoalsCareer1Soukaphone Vongchiengkham58152010–20232Saynakhonevieng Phommapanya5522006–20163Visay Phaphouvanin50192002–2013Khampheng Sayavutthi50152010–20175Phoutthasay Khochalern4712013–present6Chalana Luang-Amath3751996–2004Ketsada Souksavanh3732008–20148Bounphachan Bounkong3572018–presentKhamphoumy Hanvilay3502011–2016Keoviengphet Liththideth3542010–2018

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsCapsRatioCareer1Visay Phaphouvanin19502002–20132Khampheng Sayavutthi15502010–2017Soukaphone Vongchiengkham15582010–20234Bounlap Khenkitisack7191993–2000Bounphachan Bounkong7352018–present6Lamnao Singto6212004–2011Phithack Kongmathilath6242017–2022Phatthana Syvilay6312010–2016Khonesavanh Sihavong6342012–201710Kanlaya Sysomvang5192010–2012Sitthideth Khanthavong5242012–2016Chalana Luang-Amath5371993–2004

Tournament record FIFA World Cup Final YearRound 1954 to 1998 Did not enter Did not enter 2002 Did not qualify 6114340 2006 8017336 2010 Did not enter Did not enter 2014 Did not qualify 41031119 2018 8116629 2022 201101 201112 2030 2034Total0000030352224127

AFC Asian Cup YearRoundPosition 1956 Did not enter Did not enter 1960 1964 1968 1972WithdrewWithdrew 1976 1980 1984Did not enter Did not enter 1988 1992 1996 2000 Did not qualify 3102214 2004 210136 2007 Did not enter Did not enter 2011 2015 Did not qualifyAFC Challenge Cup 2019 12129841 2023 201101 2027Total1933131362

Asian Games

YearRoundMWDLGFGA 199821st2002111

AFC Challenge Cup YearRound 2006Removed by AFC 2008Withdrew 2010Did not enter 2012Did not qualify 2014Group stage8/8301217Total301217

AFC Solidarity Cup YearRound 2016 Third place 5311119

ASEAN Championship Qualification recordYearRound 1996 Group stage 7th 4 1 1 2 5 10 No qualification 1998 7th 3 0 1 2 2 8210124 2000 9th 4 0 0 4 0 16 No qualification 2002 8th 3 0 1 2 3 8 2004 8th 4 1 0 3 4 16 2007 8th 3 0 0 3 1 234310116 2008 8th 3 0 0 3 0 13430197 2010 8th 3 0 1 2 3 13312083 2012 7th 3 0 1 2 6 10421154 2014 8th 3 0 0 3 2 124301106 2016 Did not qualify 320176 2018 Group stage9th 4004312 Qualified automatically 2020 9th 4004114 2022 9th 4013215 2024 9th 4022711 2026 10th 4004320 Total Group stage 53 2 8 43 42 201 2415455236

FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup YearRound 2026Group stage4th210135

Head-to-head record Last match updated was against Hong Kong on 27 September 2026

+Key Opponent Pld W D L GF GA GD Confederation 3 0 2 1 1 3 −2 AFC 5 1 2 2 4 5 −1 AFC 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 AFC 12 11 0 1 33 16 +17 AFC 17 6 3 8 24 30 −6 AFC 2 0 0 2 3 13 −10 AFC 4 0 1 3 4 10 −6 AFC 1 0 0 1 0 15 −15 CAF 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 AFC 4 0 0 4 3 17 −14 AFC 2 0 0 2 1 7 −6 AFC 10 0 2 9 12 48 −36 AFC 3 0 0 3 1 20 −19 AFC 2 0 0 2 2 8 −6 AFC 1 0 0 1 0 5 −5 UEFA 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 AFC 2 0 0 2 0 9 −9 AFC 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2 CAF 2 0 0 2 2 7 −5 AFC 23 1 5 19 12 74 −62 AFC 4 0 1 3 3 15 −12 AFC 5 3 1 1 8 5 +3 AFC 20 0 4 16 15 65 −50 AFC 8 2 2 4 9 10 −1 AFC 2 0 0 2 0 19 −19 AFC 15 7 3 5 24 26 −2 AFC 2 0 0 2 1 11 −10 AFC 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 AFC 13 1 1 11 12 42 −30 AFC 7 0 0 5 0 28 −28 AFC 8 3 2 3 12 14 −2 AFC 2 0 0 2 0 20 −20 AFC 14 1 2 11 15 51 −36 AFC 8 7 0 1 22 9 +13 AFC 2 0 0 2 3 9 −6 AFC 3 0 0 3 0 9 −9 AFC 25 0 2 23 6 97 −91 AFC 37 Countries 223 43 31 149 224 705 −481 FIFA

Laos national football team

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