On 24 February 2018, Mr. Munin Paniswasdi, Consul-General of Thailand in Osaka, and Ms. Pishayasinee Mulapruk, Counsellor of the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo, attended a historic J1 League match between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on the opening week of the 2018 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League season at the EDION Stadium Hiroshima to support two Thai football players, Teerasil Dangda of Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Chanathip Songkrasin of Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. It was the first J1 League match where 2 Thai compatriots played against each other as the first eleven of their clubs. 

           

            On the said occasion, Teerasil Dangda made history by becoming the first Thai footballer to score in the J1 League as he netted the only goal of the game to hand Sanfrecce Hiroshima a 1-0 win over Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. Teerasil Dangda was also nominated “Man of the Match” after the end of the Match.

           

            The atmosphere at the EDION Stadium Hiroshima was lively with approximately 17,000 Japanese and Thai football fans waving Thailand's national flags while supporting their football teams.