Chiangrai United F.C.

Chiangrai United Football Club (Thai: สโมสรฟุตบอลเชียงราย ยูไนเต็ด) 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
เชียงราย ยูไนเต็ด

Full name	Chiangrai United Football Club สโมสรฟุตบอลเชียงราย ยูไนเต็ด
Nickname(s)	The Beetles (กว่างโซ้งมหาภัย)
Short name	CRU
Founded	2009; 16 years ago (2009)
Ground	Singha Chiangrai Stadium Chiang Rai, Thailand
Capacity	11,354
President	Miti Tiyapairat
Head coach	Miti Tiyapairat
League	Thai League 1
2024–25	Thai League 1, 11th of 16
Home colours Away colours
Current season

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 years

In 2009, Chiangrai United joined the new Thai football setup and started at the 3rd level, 2009 Regional League Division 2 Northern Region. Chiangrai 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.

On winning the championship, Chiangrai 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 League 1 Promotion

In 2010, the club finished 3rd in Thai Division 1 League and first-ever promoted to the top tier Thai League 1.

Chiangrai United opened its first youth academies in 2012.^[1]

In 2016, Chiangrai United made a deal with Jarken Group^[2] to the strong brand and 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 Chaing Rai United to become the big name club in Thailand.

2017 & 2018 – FA Cup winners

Chatchai

Shinnaphat

Pratum

Everton

Piyaphon (C)

Suriya

Thitipan

Phitiwat

Felipe

Vander

Sivakorn

2017 Thai FA Cup Final starting lineup Chiangrai United 4 – 2 Bangkok United^[3]

In 2017, the club continued to make agreements with sponsors to improve the club's professional image and attract Tanaboon Kesarat. They also secured players such as; Vander Luiz, Felipe Azevedo, Henrique Silva.^[4]

Under Brazilian coach Alexandre Gama, The Beetles was victorious in the 2017 FA Cup Final with Bangkok United. This proved to be a case of redemption for Chiangrai as winning the first piece of silverware in club-history, three days after losing to Muangthong United in the League Cup final.^[5]

In 2018, the club attracted Lee Yong-Rae and Bill.^{[citation needed]}

Chiangrai defeated the 2017 Liga 1 runners-up Bali United 3–2 in a qualifying preliminary round 2 and losing the 2017 Chinese Super League to runners-up Shanghai SIPG 1–0 in a qualifying play-offs round for the AFC Champions League group stages.^{[citation needed]}

In 2018 FA Cup Final, The Beetles weathered certain things Thai League 1 winners Buriram United could hurl at them at Supachalasai Stadium to record a 3–2 victory, a hat-trick by Bill.^[6]

2019 – League 1 title

Apirak

Brinner

Shinnaphat

Sarawut

Piyaphon

Suriya

Sivakorn

Phitiwat (C)

William

Ekanit

Bill

Usual starting line-up of the 2019 League 1 winning team^[7]

Chiangrai defeated the 2018 Myanmar National League champions Yangon United 3–1 in a qualifying preliminary round 2 and drew the 2018 J1 League runners-up 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 losing the penalty shoot-out 4–3 at Hiroshima Big Arch.

In October 2019, after the announcement of the appointment of Ailton dos Santos Silva as the new head coach, The Beetles won the Thai League 1 for the first time.^[8] 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 held Buriram to a goalless draw away in the first leg in April then thrashed the northeastern giants 4 to nothing at home in July,^[9] Chiangrai United is the third to win the top flight after Buriram and Muangthong since the country's premier tournament 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.^[10]

Academy development

Chiangrai United opened its first youth academies in 2012.^[11] 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.^[12]

Stadium

United Stadium of Chiangrai in 2017

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. The Stadium is near Mae Fah Luang International Airport and has a capacity of 11,354 people.

Continental record

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2018	AFC Champions League	Preliminary round 2	Bali United	2–1 (a.e.t.)
		Play-off round	Shanghai Port	0–1
2019	AFC Champions League	Preliminary round 2	Yangon United	3–1
		Play-off round	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–4 p)
2020	AFC Champions League	Group E	Melbourne Victory	2–2	0–1	4th out of 4
			Beijing Guoan	0–1	1–1
			FC Seoul	2–1	0–5
2021	AFC Champions League	Group H	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	1–3	1–2	3rd out of 4
			Tampines Rovers	1–0	3–0
			Gamba Osaka	1–1	1–1
2022	AFC Champions League	Group J	Kitchee	2–3	0–1	3rd out of 3
			Vissel Kobe	0–0	0–6

Season by season record

Season	League[13]									FA Cup	League Cup	Thailand Champions Cup	AFC Champions League	Top scorer
	Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos					Name	Goals
2009	DIV 2 Northern	20	17	3	0	62	16	54	1st	–	–	–	–	Watcharakorn Klaitin	19
	RL	8	3	3	2	12	11	12	2nd
2010	DIV 1	30	15	8	7	44	32	53	3rd	R3	R2	–	–	Wasan Natasan	13
2011	TPL	34	11	11	12	47	52	44	10th	R4	QF	–	–	Wasan Natasan	18
2012	TPL	34	11	11	12	40	47	44	9th	SF	R3	–	–	Nantawat Tansopa	8
2013	TPL	32	8	10	14	32	45	34	11th	QF	R3	–	–	Leandro Assumpção	9
2014	TPL	38	13	16	9	55	47	55	7th	SF	R4	–	–	Renan Marques	17
2015	TPL	34	12	8	14	42	57	44	9th	QF	R1	–	–	Renan Marques	10
2016	TL	31	13	6	12	42	43	45	8th	R3	R2	–	–	Wellington Bruno	10
2017	T1	34	18	6	10	67	42	60	4th	W	RU	–	–	Felipe Azevedo	18
2018	T1	34	15	10	9	52	36	55	5th	W	W	W	PO	Bill	9
2019	T1	30	16	10	4	53	28	58	1st	QF	SF	RU	PO	Bill	14
2020–21	T1	30	16	6	8	48	32	54	4th	W	–	W	GS	Bill	18
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	11
2023–24	T1	30	8	10	12	31	35	34	11th	R2	QF	–	–	Bill	7
2024–25	T1	30	11	3	16	33	51	36	11th	R3	QF	–	–	Jordan Emaviwe Sittichok Kannoo	5

Champions

Runners-up

Third place

Promoted

Relegated

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

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  THA Apirak Worawong 2 DF  THA Banphakit Phormmanee 3 DF  THA Tanasak Srisai 4 DF  THA Piyaphon Phanichakul 5 DF  KOR Lee Jung-moon 6 DF  SGP Jordan Emaviwe 7 MF  THA Settasit Suvannaseat 8 MF  BRA Ralph Machado 9 FW  KOR Lee seungwon 10 MF  THA Sanukran Thinjom (on loan from PT Prachuap) 11 FW  BRA Carlos Iury 13 FW  THA Pattara Soimalai 15 DF  THA Santipap Yaemsaen 17 MF  THA Gionata Verzura 18 FW  CHN Guo Tianyu 20 MF  THA Thakdanai Jaihan

No. Pos. Nation Player 21 MF  THA Suradis Pateh 22 GK  THA Sirassawut Wongruankhum 27 MF  THA Apisorn Phumchat 29 MF  THA Atikun Mheetuam 30 DF  THA Rachen Sobunma 32 MF  THA Montree Promsawat 39 GK  THA Farus Patee 40 FW  THA Chinnawat Prachuabmon 44 DF  BRA Júlio César 50 MF  THA Ongsa Singthong 55 DF  THA Thanawat Pimyotha 77 FW  MYA Win Naing Tun 88 MF  SGP Harhys Stewart 99 FW  THA Sittichok Kannoo

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  THA Rawat Kharop (at Chiangrai City) — DF  THA Pharadon Pattanapol (at Trat) — FW  THA Varrintorn Watcharapringam (at Customs United)

Managerial history

• Sarith Wutchuay 2009
• Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul 2009
• Apisit Imampai Dec 2009 – Feb 2010
• Kajohn Punnaves Feb 2010 – May 2010
• Rungsimun Songkrohtham May 2010 – July 2010
• Stefano Cugurra Teco July 2010 – June 2013
• Henk Wisman July 2013 – Sept 2013
• Anurak Srikerd Sept 2013 – Oct 2013
• Teerasak Po-on Nov 2013 – Nov 2016
• Alexandre Gama Dec 2016 – Oct 2018
• Jose Alves Borges Oct 2018 – Feb 2019
• Ailton dos Santos Silva Feb 2019 – Nov 2019
• Masami Taki Dec 2019 – Oct 2020
• Emerson Pereira (caretaker) Oct 2020 – Apr 2021
• Emerson Pereira Apr 2021 – Dec 2022
• Gabriel Magalhães Dec 2022 – May 2024
• Xavi Moro June 2024 – November 2024
• Piyaphon Phanichakul November 2024 – December 2024
• Wilson James Dos Santos (Interim) January 2025 – February 2025
• Worawut Wangsawad February 2025 – April 2025
• Miti Tiyapairat April 2025 – 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