Fandi brothers could be affected by changes to Thai League 1’s foreign player rules

SINGAPORE – After reaching the pinnacle of Thai football with Buriram United this season, national striker Ilhan Fandi faces an uncertain future amid changes to Thai League 1’s foreign player rules.

Buriram, who had retained both the league title and Shopee Cup, had hoped in January to extend Ilhan’s stay, having signed the 23-year-old on loan from fellow top-flight club BG Pathum United.

But those plans changed after the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) announced in the same month that foreign player regulations will be revised.

From the 2026-27 season, Thai League 1 clubs can register 10 imports of any nationality, replacing the current rule that permits seven foreigners to be registered and an unlimited number of players from Asean countries, with five imports and two Asean players allowed on the pitch for each match.

In a Bangkok Post report in January, FAT officials said the changes are aimed at raising the league’s overall standard and ensuring competitiveness in continental competitions.

Ilhan’s Thai sojourn ends after Buriram’s Thai FA Cup final against PT Prachuap on May 31, leaving the forward to weigh up his next move amid interest from clubs in Thailand and Europe, although no concrete offers have emerged.

One factor heavily influencing his decision will be regular game time before the 2027 Asian Cup, which takes place in Saudi Arabia from Jan 7 to Feb 5.

“My options are open for now and I need to make the right decision for myself,” said Ilhan.

“I want to get a good run of matches under my belt and build momentum heading to the Asian Cup as I want to do well for Singapore.”

He was speaking ahead of the Lions’ friendly on May 31 against world No. 187 Mongolia at the Jalan Besar Stadium, where they will also host 94th-ranked China on June 5.

Ilhan, who will miss the first game due to the Thai FA Cup final, is likely to feature in the second.

He also did not rule out a return to Singapore football, highlighting the achievements of the Lion City Sailors and BG Tampines Rovers in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2).

The Sailors reached the ACL2 final in 2025, becoming the first Singaporean outfit to achieve the feat at a continental club competition, while Tampines made it to the last eight in the 2026 edition.

Ilhan, who won the Singapore Premier League with Albirex Niigata in 2022, began playing in Thailand in 2024, when he joined Pathum.

He then moved on loan to Buriram in June 2025, a spell he credits for sharpening his game and elevating his performances with the national team.

In November 2025, Ilhan came off the bench to inspire Singapore’s 2-1 win over Hong Kong, providing an assist and scoring the decisive goal to secure the Lions’ historic qualification for the Asian Cup.

“It’s tough to leave but I’m happy to have played for the best team in South-east Asia,” said Ilhan, who scored two goals and notched two assists for Buriram across nine games in the league, Thai FA Cup and AFC Champions League.

“The intensity and demands are so high here, it helped my performances for the national team.”

His older brothers Irfan and Ikhsan also play in Thailand’s top flight, turning out for Port FC and Pathum respectively.

Other Singaporeans plying their trade in the Thai League 1 include brothers Harhys (Uthai Thani) and Ryhan Stewart (Kanchanaburi Power), as well as Jordan Emaviwe (Chiangrai United).

When asked about their club futures, both Irfan and Ikhsan declined to elaborate, stressing that their focus is now on the national team.

Eldest brother Irfan, 28, helped Port capture the Thai League Cup with a 1-0 win over his former team Pathum in the final on May 24.

The centre-back, who has played in Thailand since 2019, said: “It was a really tough season for myself, but it was good to end it on a high and to come into the (national) team with great motivation.”

As Singapore prepare to take on Australia, Iraq and Tajikistan at the Asian Cup, securing regular minutes remains Irfan’s main priority.

That is also the focus for Ikhsan, who enjoyed a prolific start to 2026 after Pathum recalled him from a loan spell at fellow Thai side Ratchaburi FC.

The striker scored 10 goals and registered one assist in 12 league and cup matches before being sidelined by a right toe injury.

But the past season has given Ikhsan, who contributed two goals and an assist in the second round of Asian Cup qualifiers, confidence and motivation to keep improving.

The 27-year-old said he is looking forward to getting playing time and staying sharp, adding: “That will help me when I come back with the national team so I can perform at my best for the Asian Cup.”

Lions coach Gavin Lee admitted that the uncertainty surrounding the Thailand-based players’ future is a concern, noting that ideally the players should be at their peak going into the Asian Cup.

He said: “Ultimately, we want to arrive at the Asian Cup the strongest possible versions of ourselves, the strongest possible Singapore team. And in order to do that, we need everybody as close to their potential as possible.”

Lee will speak to the players to help them with their thought process when it comes to decisions. He added: “But ultimately, we cannot make the choice for them, we can only support them.”

The match against Singapore serves as a springboard for Mongolia’s return to international action, with their last fixture a 4-0 loss to Chinese Taipei in December 2024.

Coach Marco Ragini, who was appointed in May, said this is the match to “restart things”, adding that his players can “reduce the gap that has come from not playing in the past”.