2026 Seniors World Cup

England Win the Seniors World Cup

in Ubon Ratchathani

I don’t think I will ever tire of being excited about an upcoming World Cup football tournament. It brings back great memories, and something special when recalling times watching players from what seemed like strange countries and learning about them as a kid.

As an England fan, I continued to live in hope of seeing my boys lift the trophy once again. My highlight came at Italia 90, when I travelled with my youngest brother Nick, as a penalty shoot-out in Turin left us in tears.

Italia 90

Moving to Thailand has most likely put an end to attending any more of the finals. I'm not keen on paying the exorbitant prices and the hassle involved. Doubly so when the US is involved in some of its policies under the current president.

Therefore, I was delighted when I saw on Facebook that I could attend the World Cup after all, and it was only an hour from where we live. The 18th staging of the Seniors World Cup was being staged over a week in Ubon Ratchathani. It was time for me to start planning and finding out any available information.

The Seniors World Cup brings together former professional and international players aged over 40, representing their countries in a competitive tournament that has grown steadily in stature over the years.

It is an annual tournament organised by the Thai Senior Football Association. It is staged in different cities around the Land of Smiles. England were the holders arriving in Ubon Ratchathani for what turned out to be a memorable week of football and friendship.

I was helped that my mate Dale, on A Thai Football Podcast, had arranged an interview with David Jones, the Manchester-born USA head coach, one of the eight teams involved. I found his team's Facebook page as well as the one for the England side helpful, learning whatever I could before things got underway.

Opening Ceremony in Ubon

The first day of June came around. I set off on the train to Ubon, not really knowing exactly what to expect in terms of how many people would go to watch and what would be provided for spectators. The Thai end of the publicity and information was, sadly, but not totally surprisingly, negligible.

Meeting with my mate Kevin, who had flown in for the week from Chiang Mai, we arrived at the UBSSS (Ubon Ratchathani Sports School Stadium), where a shower threatened to spoil the fun before the skies cleared for what was an excellent opening ceremony.

England Squad

A school band led the procession around the track and onto the pitch. Each of the eight competing nations had schoolkids, flagbearers and a lady in an Isan costume representing them. The speeches were short and well-received in Thai and English before the opening game got underway.

The England players were taken aback by the support they received from the schoolkids on both sides of the stadium. Remarkable when considering the opponents were Thailand. Two teachers at the front, along with a drummer, got the kids singing repeated versions of "We Will Rock You" and "Vindaloo," to the astonishment of the farangs in the stadium.

The hosts were defeated 2-0 by a team containing Premier League and international star, Gareth Barry, with a few thousand professional appearances spread among his teammates. The players were visibly moved at the end, applauding their supporters and posing for selfies while taking videos of their amazing memories.

I watched the Tuesday matches at home through the excellent YouTube coverage. With England and the USA both winning their first two games, their match at the UMT Stadium on Wednesday meant that the winners would benefit from an arguably easier semi-final tie.

If anyone were in any doubt that the Seniors World Cup matters to the players, those doubts would have been put to bed after watching this feisty encounter. The match became increasingly physical, and England ultimately benefited as frustration got the better of the Americans, who finished with ten men.

The kids from the local Buddhist Orphan School were there once again, making a din and offering the England team their support. They added to the atmosphere at the UMT Stadium, where the total attendance numbered around 800.

It was a delightful day out all told, as my friend John drove us through. We played golf, then relaxed with food and drinks at Wrong Way Café, where Kevin was waiting for us and where the amiable owner opened early for us. A friendly local gave us some good tips for future visits when wanting food and drink.

Thursday was a day off regarding match action. However, the players and their backup teams were involved in a school's initiative. Youngsters received gifts and coaching, hopefully enhancing their love of the beautiful game. It was a pleasure to invite Kevin to our home for lunch, so he saw why I am so content in my rural surroundings.

Lunch by the Mun River

Heading back to Ubon on the train on Friday, I was genuinely excited, while confident in England’s ability to win the game. Proper football weather of pouring rain accompanied me during the train journey and then again while Kevin and I enjoyed a late lunch and drinks by the Mun River.

Once England broke through the Australian defence, the result was rarely in doubt. The defeated side gave it their all despite suffering a few injuries during the match. One of their charges was stretchered off, later recovering in Tawandang nightclub, according to rumours.

The kids were there once again. It was quite possibly the occasion, or perhaps, having imbibed, I decided to teach them how to chant after a certain drumbeat. The reaction was one of bemusement, amusement, and polite smiles and applause.

The other semifinal in the Seniors World Cup saw France defeat the USA on penalties, which meant they would face their old adversaries in the final. John met me once again to drive through and meet Kevin, allowing the three of us quality time in a quaint Italian pizza restaurant in the old town.

We arrived to see the USA take third place after defeating the depleted Aussies. Up the road, two games in the Masters, played between the four teams who finished in the bottom two places of the initial groups, took place. Taiwan defeated Laos in the wooden spoon game, while Thailand defeated New Zealand, providing local pride.

At the UMT Stadium, England put on a professional performance to sweep the French aside 4-0. In truth, the final score could have been far bigger if they hadn’t spurned so many chances. The Gallic goalie had a fantastic match.

The celebrations among the England squad showed just how much they wanted to win. It was wonderful to see them include the kids and continue to connect, with lots of supporters going onto the pitch. The team signed endless autographs and posed for selfies while also enjoying their own moments.

Some might say that it was only an overage tournament, with a limited number of teams partaking. However, I thought it was magnificent on many levels. I’m a lucky man. I went to Italia 90 and Euro 96, both iconic England tournaments. Yet, Ubon 26 will live with me for years to come.

The Extremely Popular Gareth Barry

I saw players I’d previously paid to see or watched on TV competing near where I live in a corner of Thailand where westerners aren’t in abundance. All the competing teams embraced the event and the city of Ubon, providing the supporters with entertainment over a glorious week of football. Best of all, they gave lots of youngsters an amazing time. You cannot buy that.

If you have enjoyed reading this article, you might enjoy watching the video I made throughout the tournament, the background and atmosphere of a remarkable week.

FC Eintracht Bamberg 2010

FC Eintracht Bamberg 2010 eV is a football club as part of a sports club from the Upper Franconian city of Bamberg, north of Nuremberg. It was founded in June 2010 following the insolvency of the previous club 1. FC Eintracht Bamberg.

FC 01 Bamberg could trace its origins back to 1901, while TSV Eintracht Bamberg was formed in 1951. They merged in 2006 to form 1. FC Eintracht Bamberg. However, things didn’t go to plan, leading to the club filing for insolvency proceedings on May 11, 2010.

FC Eintracht Bamberg was founded soon after as a successor club to safeguard the club's sporting operations. The newly founded club took its predecessor's place in the Bayernliga for the 2010-11 season, playing in Bamberg's Fuchs-Park-Stadion, the home of the former club.

A fourth place in 2011-12 saw FCE, as the club is known locally, qualify for the newly formed fourth-tier Regionalliga Bayern for the following season. After consolidating for a couple of seasons, the side was relegated in 2014-15, dropping down to the Bayernliga Nord.

Further financial issues blighted the new club in 2016, when the board considered filing for insolvency once more. However, a plan was formulated, with the team dropping down to the Landesliga Nordwest Bayern under trainer Christian Ott. Worse was to follow as Bamberg ended in the relegation places.

The seventh-tier Bezirksliga Oberfranken West title was clinched in 2017-18 with Michael Hutzler training the team and Maximilian Großmann being prolific in front of goal. The Landesliga Nordwest Bayern title was lifted twelve months later to return to Bayernliga Nord, where the consistent Patrick Görtler continued to score. 

Julian Kolbeck was appointed as trainer in 2021-22 as the momentum continued with a fourth-place finish. FCE won the title the following season under new trainer Jan Gernlein, with Philipp Hack leading the scoring to herald a return to fourth-tier football in Regionalliga Bayern.

The 2024-25 season ended in relegation back to Bayernliga Nord.

FC Eintracht Bamberg 2010 will play in Bayernliga Nord in the 2025-26 season.

My visit

Friday 28th September 2018

My few days in Germany couldn’t have gone much better, having been to the games between Fortuna Düsseldorf and Bayer Leverkusen before arriving in Nuremberg and then going to Greuther Fürth against Hamburger SV the previous evening.

That had led to rather a late night, having found the excellent Barfüßer Brewery and Finnegan's Harp Irish Pub provided me with libation before bed. The following morning, I grabbed some breakfast and deposited my bag in a locker at the railway station before taking the train north to Bamberg.

The journey on a local train took around forty minutes. The city had been on my radar for several years after listening to many tales from my drinking mate Steve Barnes, who waxed lyrical about Bamberg and its famed smoked Rauchbier and the eleven breweries located there.

My first port of call was naturally the Fuchs-Park Stadion, which was easily reached on the number 902 bus, which dropped me at the Bamberg Stadion stop. The gates to the arena were open, allowing me to go inside to take photos at will, knowing I had around fifteen minutes before the bus made the return journey.

It was pleasant, and typical of many German venues, with a decent-sized covered and seated main stand, a running track around the pitch, and uncovered terraces on the other three sides. A basic scoreboard was at the far end, beyond which were more sports pitches.

Satisfied with my work, it was time to enjoy the rest of the city, starting with a walk and then a bus to the stunning Bamberg Cathedral, sitting on a hill high above the city. I liked the vibe of the place in general, with its tight streets and Linker Regnitzarm and Regnitz River providing some water views.

I kicked off my drinking at Schlenkerla, where I got served at a hatch and could drink outside watching the busy world go by, as tourists and locals went about their business on Dominikanerstraße. A couple more places followed, as well as a brief stop on the road back to the station.

Bamberg ticked off all my boxes, apart from seeing a match, and is recommended for a stay.

Ullevål Stadion (Oslo)

Ullevål Stadion is the national football stadium of Norway, opened in 1926 in the Sognsveien district of the capital of Oslo. It staged the Norwegian Cup final on several occasions before becoming the permanent venue from 1946.

FK Lyn, along with other local sides, made it their home when it opened, having made a deal with the tram operator Akersbanerne to purchase land they had acquired as part of the construction of the Sognsvann Line.

The stadium was initially built with a running track, with the Aker Municipality selling their shares in the stadium company to the Norwegian Football Federation. In 1935, a crowd of 35,495 attended to watch Norway play Sweden.

In 1960, the NFF bought more shares from Lyn, before in 1967, the Japp Stand was constructed and the NFF opened offices there, followed by the completion of the single-tier West Stand in 1985. The two-tier North and East Stands in 1990 and the South Stand in 1998 were then added, with the all-seated capacity totalling 27,182.

Lyn were in financial difficulties in 1993, selling their remaining shares to the NFF, before the club set up a limited company to look after their football affairs, which intended to buy their shares back at Ullevål. The courts ruled in favour that they should be able to, following a dispute.

However, it transpired that when Lyn did, they didn’t have the finances in place to do so. In later years, the shares would exchange hands before the NFF took them back in March 2007. When the stadium was being reconstructed, Lyn and the national team played their matches at Bislett Stadion.

Vålerenga considered hiring Ullevål as their home in 1999, as well as Skeid, another Oslo club. Vålerenga eventually became tenants in 2000, while land was sold commercially around the stadium, as well as space in the West Stand.

Lyn departed at the end of the 2009 season to head to Bislett, with their final match at Ullevål attracting just 2,092 fans. They would go bankrupt and start again, working their way through the divisions. Vålerenga built a new stadium in the east of the city, their traditional heartland, which opened during the 2017 season.

Among its major matches, Ullevaal hosted the finals of the UEFA Women's Euro in 1987 and 1997. It will also host the UEFA Women's Champions League final in 2026. Plus, of course, Norway’s famous 2-0 win against England in their World Cup qualifier in 1993.

Ullevål hosted the Vålerenga v Lyn men's second-tier derby in 2024 in front of 25,103 spectators.

My visit

Tuesday 29th May 2018

An excellent long weekend visit to Norway, catching up with family in Halden, followed by Sarpsborg 08 v Stabæk, and then spending the night at an apartment in Parkveien in the capital. I was determined to discover the capital on another very nice day.

After a stroll to nearby Bislett Stadion, I took a tram and train to Ullevål Stadion station. I wandered around the perimeter without being able to find an open gate, which sometimes appears, even in the biggest stadiums. I didn’t do too badly, certainly as close as possible without being inside.

I took the best photos possible, catching glances of the national side training on the pitch before their friendly away to Iceland a couple of days later, before taking a train back towards the city, stopping at Frogner Stadion on the way.

Frigg Oslo FK (Norway)

Frigg Oslo FK is a sports club that was formed in the Norwegian capital on May 17th, 1904, as SK Frigg, named after Frigg of Norse mythology. A merger with SK Varg in 1954 led the club to take its current title.

Norgesmesterskapet i fotball for herrer, translated as the Norwegian Cup, is the competition to deliver the club honours. Lyn (Gjøvik) were defeated 4-2 in the 1914 final at Frogner Stadion with Torkel Trædal netting twice.

The Cup was lifted again in 1916 with a 2-0 win against Ørn at Skøitebanen in Trondhjem, as Ragnvald Smedvik and David Andersen scored the goals. The 1919 final at Fram Sportsplass in Larvik ended in a 1-0 defeat against Odd. Ørn defeated Frigg 1-0 in the 1920 final at Vestre Holmen in Kristiania.

A third Cup victory was achieved in 1921, with a 2-0 win against Odd in Kristiania, with Fritz Semb Thorstvedt and Hans Dahl scoring the goals. It took until 1965 for another Cup final appearance. It took three games after the first two matches ended 2-2 and 1-1 before Skeid won 2-1 at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.

 

Norwegian football was limited to regional competition until 1937, with Frigg being prominent in the Kristiania region, which covered the Oslo area, playing in Prøveligaen. The team won seven championships before 1925 under Scottish coach Wylie.

Frigg played in Landsdelsserien regional football until 1954, when they celebrated their fiftieth anniversary with a game against Honved, which ended in a 15-3 defeat as Ferenc Puskás starred for the Hungarian champions before Frigg moved up to the Hovedserien national competition in 1955-56, playing in Group B.

The side was relegated from Group A in 1957-58 to the Landsdelsserien, where they were placed in District Østland/Nordre, finishing as runners-up in their first season. The goals of Norwegian international Harald Hennum helped the team win promotion to Hovedserien, the top-tier level, in 1960-61.

It was a halcyon period for the side from Frogner Stadion as they finished fourth on four occasions, as well as the previously mentioned Cup final appearance. In the 1966-67 season, Frigg played in European competition, going out in the first round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup to Dunfermline Athletic.

The top level had been renamed 1. Division and the fixture calendar were realigned when Frigg were relegated in 1968 to the 2. Divisjon, being placed in Group B. Moved to Group B in 1970, the team was promoted as champions. Their spell lasted just one season before dropping back down to Group B, of the second tier.

The side containing Per Pettersen and Egil Olsen clinched the title in 1972, going straight back up. Again, the climb proved too steep as Frigg were relegated twelve months later, despite the consolation of a 1-0 friendly win against Arsenal.

In 1980, Frigg went down to 3. Divisjon from which they were promoted in 1988. The second tier had been retitled 1. Divisjon in 1991 when the team was relegated from it. Relegation to the fourth tier 3. Divisjon followed at the end of the 1993 season, after Frigg went down from Group 1.

Promotion was won in 1995 before going back down in 1997. In 2001, Frigg defeated Moss 2 to regain their third-tier status. Another relegation followed in 2005. The team went back up a level in 2009, where they remained until the end of the 2013 season, when they returned to 3. Divisjon.

2015 saw promotion being achieved, but the side’s third-tier status lasted just one season. In 2021, Frigg won the Group 4 title to head back to 2. Divisjon, where they finished bottom of Group 2 despite the goals of Ulrik Ferrer. The team finished as runners-up in Group 1 of 3. Divisjon in 2023, the third in Group 3 in 2024, before second place a year later.

Frigg Oslo FK will play in 3. Divisjon Avdeling 1 in the 2026 season.

My visit

Tuesday 29th May 2018

I had enjoyed an excellent long weekend visit to Norway, catching up with family in Haden before I spent the previous evening in Oslo after the Sarpsborg 08 v Stabæk top-flight match. I had a few hours to discover the capital on another very nice day.

I’d booked an apartment on Parkveien in the capital and then visited Bislett and Ullevaal Stadiums. The train back from the current national stadium stopped at Majorstuen, just a short walk from Frogner Stadion, so it made sense to get out and take a look at the historic arena.

The pitch had an artificial surface, while the limited stands were neat and tidy as part of a leisure complex. Once I’d taken my photos, I continued back into the city where I enjoyed some splendid sightseeing around the Royal Palace, and down by the water by the harbour.

There was even time for a couple of expensive pints in the Scotsman, with lovely views on Karl Johans Gate, before it was time to head back to the Central Station to take a train to the airport for my flight back to London in readiness to start my set of night shifts.

Merdeka Stadium (Kuala Lumpur)

Merdeka Stadium, also known as Independence Stadium, was opened in August 1957, close to the centre of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The stadium was the largest in Southeast Asia at the time of completion.

Merdeka was the principal venue in Kuala Lumpur for celebrations and sporting events until 1998, when the Bukit Jalil National Stadium was built for the 16th Commonwealth Games. It was also the home of the Malaysian national football team. 

The venue has staged three Southeast Asian Games, as well as the iconic game which saw Malaysia qualify for the 1980 Olympics, until they boycotted the games because of the political actions of the Soviet Union. However, it is boxing for which Merdeka is probably best known.

The stadium hosted the fight between the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and British boxer Joe Bugner in 1975, before Ali fought Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila”. In 1975, it also hosted the Hockey World Cup final between Pakistan and India. 

My visit

Tuesday 24th March 2009

I’d arrived in KL the previous evening, with the opportunity to explore the city over a couple of days and nights before heading on to Bangkok and then Chiang Mai for my annual cricket tournament.

Air Asia had started flying direct to Kuala Lumpur at a very reasonable price. It was certainly a large saving on the fare to Thailand. However, I was soon to learn that the deal wasn’t quite as good as I’d envisaged.

The Malaysian capital had two airports. The budget one where we landed was not the best, and didn’t have a rail link into the city, requiring a ride on an old smoke-belching bus, which wasn’t ideal after sitting on a plane for over half a day. At least the journey took us past Bukit Jalil National Stadium, where the floodlights were on. 

Alcohol was expensive, as were the hotels. The flight times to Bangkok meant that there weren’t any easy connections, meaning there was no option but to take a stopover. For all of that, I didn’t mind the city. It was a bit like Thailand without the booze and laughs being so prevalent.

Waking, I wandered around a large mall, which I think was Berjaya Times Square. It was then time to discover Merdeka Stadium. There was a security guard at the game who insisted on accompanying me inside the cantilever stand and insisted that there was to be no photography.

No matter how much I tried to persuade him, he was not to be shifted. I believe I took some outside of the limited view available, but I will never know, as my visit to Bukit Jalil reveals.

The images on this page have been taken from online sources.

 

Bukit Jalil National Stadium (Kuala Lumpur)

Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur is the largest stadium in Southeast Asia, the fourth largest in Asia, and the fifteenth largest in the world as of 2025. It is the national stadium of Malaysia and has a capacity of 85,000.

It hosted the 1998 Commonwealth Games, staging its opening ceremony, going on to become the main venue for other international events, such as the 2001 Southeast Asian Games and the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, as well as the national football stadium. 

The national team play most of its home games there, with a friendly against Arsenal being played in May 1999 in front of 60,000 fans. In 2025, an ASEAN All Stars team took on Manchester United, with 72,550 attending.

My visit

Tuesday 24th March 2009

With Air Asia flying direct from Stansted to Kuala Lumpur, I thought it a great chance to visit the Malaysian capital and do some sightseeing. As described on the Stadium Merdeka page, that wasn’t quite as straightforward as it seemed when booking.

Nevertheless, after visiting some sights, including the old colonial area around the majestic old Railway Station, I headed south to the large sports complex that I had passed the previous evening on the bus from the airport, with floodlights on in the main stadium.

I walked to Masjid Jamek, from where I boarded the SPL train to Bukit Jalil, which took around twenty minutes. It was a further ten-minute walk to the stadium, which looked to be locked up. I went into the office and asked if there was any chance of going inside for a look.

A friendly lady said it was not a problem, but photography was not permitted. It was an incredible venue, and the excitement got the better of me as I sneakily took some shots before being correctly chastised. I thanked her for her assistance and headed off.

Before taking the train back, I went inside the National Hockey Stadium and took some more photos. It was also a superb stadium, with a capacity of 12,000, with every seat offering an excellent view and being under a roof.

As things transpired, the groundhopping police must have been looking down. My phone, which contained the photos which I hadn’t had a chance to download, was stolen by a transgender person at the end of Soi Cowboy as I was pickpocketed at the end of a rather liquid-heavy evening in Bangkok before I headed to the cricket in Chiang Mai.

The images on this page have been taken from online sources.

Eden Park (Auckland)

Eden Park is a sports venue in Auckland, New Zealand, opened in 1900, and located three kilometres southwest of the Auckland CBD, on the boundary between the suburbs of Mount Eden and Kingsland.

While the venue is mostly associated with rugby union and the All Blacks, cricket, and rugby league, Eden Park has also staged football on several occasions. Four All Whites, New Zealand men’s internationals, are some of the games on this list.

Friendlies against South Africa and FK Austria Wien were played in 1947 and 1957, respectively, before an Olympic qualifier against Israel for the Seoul Olympics in 1988, and then a friendly against the Australian Socceroos in 2022, with all four games ending in defeat.

Wellington Phoenix have used Eden Park to host occasional home games, with the first A-League clash coming in November 2011, which ended in a 1-1 draw with Adelaide United in front of a crowd of 20,078. A Phoenix friendly against West Ham United followed in 2014.

The venue hosted several matches of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, including the opening match in which New Zealand beat Norway 1-0. 43,217 fans attended the quarter-final tie between Spain and Switzerland.

The Kiwis qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they defeated New Caledonia 3-0 at Eden Park in March 2025, as 25,132 fans celebrated.

My visit

Wednesday 10th December 2002

I found myself in Auckland as I was visiting my old mate from Scarborough, Ron Heywood, who’d emigrated with his family and who were looking after me. A look around town meant going near Eden Park on the journey from Blockhouse Bay, and my mate obliged in the car.

It was possible to get inside easily enough, offering me the chance to take some photos and have a general look around, including a quick glimpse of the Eden Park Outer Oval, which is used for training and lesser games.

Once completed, we continued down to the Marina, where yachts were preparing for the upcoming Admiral's Cup, as well as grabbing lunch and then going up the Sky Tower to enjoy some incredible views.