Buriram United F.C.

Did You Know?

• The club was previously based in Ayutthaya before moving to Buriram for the 2010 season.
• Buriram United went undefeated in the league during the 2013 and 2015 seasons.
• The club's home stadium, Chang Arena, is nicknamed "Thunder Castle".

History

The club was founded in 1970 and achieved its first major success in 1998 by winning the third division of the Kor Royal Cup, which led to promotion to the Thai Division 1 League. After finishing third in the second division in 2002–03, the club lost the Thai League 1 relegation play-off final to Thailand Tobacco Monopoly. Promotion to the Thai Premier League came at the end of the 2003–04 season. In its first Premier League season, the club finished as runner-up, earning a spot in the AFC Champions League, though it was later excluded. The club finished 10th and 8th in the following two seasons. In 2008, Provincial Electricity Authority relocated to Ayutthaya and won its first Thai League 1 title under head coach Prapol Pongpanich, qualifying for the 2009 AFC Champions League preliminary round. The club was eliminated from that competition after a 1–4 extra-time loss to Singapore Armed Forces. Poor form in the 2009 league season led to Prapol's dismissal; the club finished ninth. In December 2009, politician Newin Chidchob took over the club, relocated it to Buriram, and rebranded it as Buriram PEA. The team finished as runner-up in the 2010 Thai Premier League and lost the 2010 Thai League Cup final to Thai Port.

Team image

Buriram United's main rival is Muangthong United, the two dominant clubs in Thai League 1 since 2009. The rivalry reflects contrasting supporter bases: Buriram represents rural Thailand, while Muangthong symbolizes the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. Political differences also play a role, as Muangthong has close ties with the Football Association of Thailand under Worawi Makudi, while Buriram chairman Newin Chidchob has frequently questioned the FAT's transparency. Buriram maintained a long unbeaten record against Muangthong after relocating to Buriram, a streak broken in 2016 with a 0–3 home loss. The phrase "Rather lose to anyone but Muangthong" became associated with the club's fans.

Academy development

Buriram United opened its first youth academies in 2011. The program has produced several Thai talents, including Suphanat Mueanta, Supachok Sarachat, Ratthanakorn Maikami, and Anon Amornlerdsak. The club regularly supplies players to Thai national youth teams. The CP-Meiji Cup U-14 International Championship is held annually at Chang Arena and Elephant Ground, featuring six Thai academy teams and six international youth teams. In 2018, Andrew Ord was appointed head of youth development, replacing Brazilian Jose Alves Borges.

Affiliated clubs

In October 2018, Buriram United signed a collaboration agreement with Borussia Dortmund of the Bundesliga, focusing on youth development from U9 to U19 levels, including technology, sports science, and management. In September 2020, the club signed a similar agreement with Leicester City of the Premier League as part of the "Thailand Smiles With You" project. The partnership aims to send young Thai players to Europe for higher-quality training; Buriram sent Supachok Sarachat, Suphanat Mueanta, and Supachai Jaided to train at Leicester City's facilities.