New coach Mario Silva will lead defending champions Buriram United FC into their opening game in Group A of the 2026/27 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ against Borneo FC Samarinda on Wednesday looking to fine tune his side’s attack after the international break.
Buriram United have won back-to-back Shopee Cup™ titles and launch their bid for a third title under the Portuguese tactician following Mark Jackson’s departure from the post in September.
And while Silva has made a positive start to his time in charge at the club, with Buriram United sitting on top of the Thai League 1 standings, the UEFA Champions League winner is keen to make improvements to his team.
"We need to adjust our play in the final stages, as well as our decision-making,” Silva said after seeing Buriram United narrowly defeat Chonburi FC prior to the international break.
“We created chances, but our finishing wasn't good enough. For example, we had many scoring opportunities, but we couldn't finish them, as you can see. We need to work on that."
The clubs will be meeting for the second time in the Shopee Cup™ with Buriram United cruising to a 4-0 victory in their previous clash in the inaugural competition two years ago.
Borneo go into the game in fourth place in the Super League in Indonesia having won 1-0 against Bali United FC the last time they were in action prior to the start of the international window.
Buriram United are one of two Thai League 1 clubs to feature in Group A with Ratchaburi FC making their debut appearance in the competition in the 2026/27 edition as Worrawoot Srimaka’s team face Shopee Cup™ newcomers Ho Chi Minh City Police FC from Vietnam.
The game will be Ho Chi Minh City Police’s fourth of the season in all competitions having lost heavily to Công An Hà Nội FC in the Vietnamese Super Cup at the end of August before winning one and losing one of their opening fixtures in V.League 1.
Similarly, Ratchaburi have won only once since the start of the new campaign, defeating Bangkok United FC in mid-September to sit in ninth place in the Thai League 1 standings after the first three rounds.
Malaysia’s Kuching City FC will also be making their debut in the Shopee Cup™ when the side from Sarawak entertain Singapore’s Tampines Rovers FC.
Kuching City coach and ex-Singapore international Aidil Sharin will be facing one of his former clubs at Sarawak Stadium and will be looking to continue his side’s solid form since the start of their season in August.
Having led Kuching City to a runners-up finish in the Malaysia Super League last season, Aidil’s team are second in the current standings, three points adrift of leaders and perennial champions Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, after registering four wins from five matches.
Tampines Rovers, by contrast, have had a disappointing start to the new campaign, losing in the Singapore Community Shield to Lion City Sailors FC before recovering to win against Balestier Khalsa FC in the Singapore Premier League.
That was followed by a narrow loss to Shanghai Shenhua FC from China in the AFC Champions League Two, leaving recently appointed Nazri Nasir determined to oversee a rapid upturn in his team’s performances, starting against Kuching City on Wednesday.
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