On 9 June, a press conference was held at the Ashgabat Stadium ahead of the crucial Asian Cup 2027 qualifying match between the national teams of Turkmenistan and Thailand. This was reported by IIC.

The head coach of the Thai national team, a Japanese specialist, expressed confidence in his team's good preparation, noting the fighting spirit of the athletes after their recent 2-0 victory over India. He emphasised that the team had come to Ashgabat with the clear goal of winning, despite the changeable weather conditions, and thanked the organisers for their warm welcome.

On behalf of Turkmenistan, head coach Rovshen Meredov also declared that the Turkmen team was fully prepared for the upcoming match. He noted that most of the players represent the ‘Arkadag’ football club, which recently won the AFC Cup and became the national champion, which should give them an advantage. Defender Mekan Saparov added that the team is focused solely on victory and will do everything possible to achieve the result.

The match between Turkmenistan and Thailand will be an important step in the fight for a place in the final of the 2027 Asian Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia.