Yangon United F.C.
 | |||
| Full name | Yangon United Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Lion Warriors | ||
| Short name | YUFC | ||
| Founded | 2007 as Air Bagan 2009 as Yangon United | ||
| Ground | Yangon United Sports Complex Thuwunna Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 3,500 50,000 | ||
| Owner | Tay Za[1] | ||
| President | Pye Phyo Tayza[2] | ||
| Head coach | Tetsuro Uki | ||
| League | Myanmar National League | ||
| 2024–25 | MNL, runners-up | ||
|
| |||
Yangon United Football Club (Burmese: ရန်ကုန် ယူနိုက်တက် ဘောလုံးအသင်း [jàɰ̃ɡòʊɰ̃]) is a Burmese professional football club based at Yangon United Sports Complex in Yangon, Myanmar. Owned by Tay Za, a prominent Burmese businessman, it was one of eight clubs that participated in the inaugural edition of the Myanmar National League in 2009, where they finished as runners-up. The club has won a record 5 league, 3 General Aung San Shield and 3 MFF Charity Cup titles.
Yangon United's biggest rival used to be Yadanarbon, with whom they contest the Myanmar rivalry. However, due to Yadanarbon's decline, Yangon United's main rivals are Shan United, contesting the new Myanmar National League derby. Its women's section plays in the Myanmar Women League.
History
Air Bagan FC
On 18 July 2007, the chairman of Htoo Group of Companies took over a first division club, Viva Football Club and changed the name to Air Bagan Football Club. Air Bagan became champion in their debut year. They then competed in the 2008 Myanmar Premier League season and finished in the top half of the table.[3]
Yangon United
After the league was transformed to the nation's first professional football league, Air Bagan was renamed to Yangon United in 2009 and represented the seven million population in Yangon. Yangon United also formed an alliance with Thailand club BEC Tero Sasana.
On 16 May 2009, Yangon United defeated Zeya Shwe Myay 4–0 to open the MNL Cup 2009. The club finished in second place with 16 points. Yangon United lost to Yadanarbon in the final on penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw. During the 2010 season, Yangon United built an artificial turf football pitch and gymnasium.
Myanmar National League three-peat and AFC Cup debut (2011–2013)
In 2011, Yangon United won their first ever Myanmar National League title and also became the champion of the 2011 General Aung San Shield. This was the first time in Myanmar football history that a club has won both the league title and the cup. The following year, Yangon United appointed Bulgarian Ivan Kolev for the new season, in which the club to won their second consecutive Myanmar National League title and qualified for the 2013 AFC Cup.[citation needed]
In 2013, Yangon United signed with Grand Sport as their main kit supplier. Yangon United made their debut in the 2013 AFC Cup being placed in group F with Maldives league champions New Radiant SC, Hong Kong club Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei and Indonesian cup winners Persibo Bojonegoro. The Lions put up a fiery display in the tournament, winning five games and only losing once, thus finishing the group stage as runners-up, through to the Round of 16 for the first time in the club history. Yangon United then travelled to India to face East Bengal on 15 May 2013 at their home ground, Salt Lake Stadium, which saw the club losing 5–1, and thus exiting the tournament. However Ivan Kolev guided the club to retain their league title, third consecutive Myanmar National League title.
2014
Yangon United again qualified for the 2014 AFC Cup where they faced Vietnamese cup winners, Vissai Ninh Bình, Hong Kong league champions South China and Malaysian club Kelantan. The club finished as group runners-up, winning 3 times and losing 3 games, in which the club qualified for the Round of 16 tie against Indonesian club Persipura Jayapura. They suffered their heaviest defeat in their history, losing 9–2 at the Mandala Stadium.
The 2014 season saw the club finishing 2nd in the league. However, the club managed to get hold of the league title in the 2015 season, winning their fourth league title, and qualified to the 2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off. They faced Thailand club Chonburi, losing 3–2.
2018-2019
In 2018, Yangon United won their fifth league title with 1 point ahead of league rivals Shan United. The club qualified for the 2019 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs, facing Philippines club Ceres–Negros. The Lions won the match 2–1, progressing on to the next stage to face Thailand's Chiangrai United. Losing 3–1 in the process, they were dropped to the 2019 AFC Cup.
Yangon United would go on and dominate until 2019, when they gave up the trophy to Shan United. Yangon United ended up with an unconvincing 2020 Myanmar National League finish at 4th place. They also participated in the 2020 AFC Cup, getting a 2–2 draw against Vietnamese side Hồ Chí Minh City. In the next match against Laotian side Lao Toyota, Yangon United went on to collect their first three points in a 3–2 win. In their third fixture against Singaporean side Hougang United, Than Paing broke the deadlock, scoring the only goal in the match. However, the AFC Cup got cancelled throughout the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022
In the 2022 Myanmar National League season they finished second, behind Shan United. Their top scorer was Valci Júnior with 8 goals.
2023
Yangon United founded Yangon United W.F.C to compete in the Myanmar Women League.
Kits and sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Title sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2009–2012 |  FBT
|
Air Bagan |
| 2013–2021 | Grand Sport
|
FNI insurance |
| 2023 |  M21
|
AGD Bank |
| 2024– | Glory Sport
|
Stadium
Players
- As of Feb 2026
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Coaching staff
- As of 29 April 2025[4]
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Tetsuro Uki
|
| Assistant coach | Myo Hlaing Oo Kyaw Soe Oo Khin Maung Lwin
|
| Goalkeeping coach | Aung Ye Thway
|
| Team Officer | Yan Aung Kyaw
|
Player records
Lists of the players with the most caps and top goalscorers for the club in the league games (players in bold signifies current Yangon United F.C. player).
- As of 15 October 2023
| Player | Period | Goals | Ratio | Caps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cézar
|
2012–2015, 2017 | 118 | 1.06 | 111 |
| 2 | Kyaw Ko Ko
|
2013–2019 | 58 | 0.42 | 139 |
| 3 |  Sylla Sekou
|
2018–2019, 2023 | 57 | 0.85 | 67 |
| 4 |  Charles Obi
|
2010–2011 | 31 | 1.11 | 28 |
| 5 | Emerson
|
2014–2015, 2017, 2021 | 31 | 0.46 | 68 |
| 6 | Maung Maung Lwin
|
2017–2021 | 27 | 0.38 | 72 |
| 7 | Emmanuel Uzochukwu
|
2017–2018, 2020–2021 | 20 | 0.61 | 33 |
| Player | Period | Caps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Htan
|
2009–2018, 2022– | 285 | 8 |
| 2 | Yan Aung Kyaw
|
2009–2020 | 246 | 3 |
| 3 | Kyi Lin
|
2009–2019, 2020 | 178 | 15 |
| 4 | Khin Maung Lwin
|
2009–2015 | 154 | 5 |
| 5 | Kyaw Ko Ko
|
2013–2019 | 139 | 58 |
| 6 | Zaw Min Tun
|
2015–2017, 2018 | 133 | 7 |
| 7 | Myo Min Tun
|
2009–2013 | 121 | 0 |
| 8 | Cézar
|
2012–2015, 2017 | 111 | 118 |
| 9 | Aung Aung Oo
|
2009–2013 | 110 | 0 |
| 10 | Kyaw Zin Htet
|
2017–2020 | 87 | 0 |
| 11 | San Set Naing
|
2017– | 84 | 0 |
| 12 |  Kekere Moukailou
|
2017–2019 | 75 | 6 |
Continental record
All results (home and away) list Yangon United's goal tally first.
Seasons statistics
Domestic
| Season | League | League Cup | Top goalscorer | Coach | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div. | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Name | Goals | |||
| 2009–10 | 1st | 4 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 16 | 23 | ||||
| 2010 | 1st | 3 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 44 | 12 | 39 | ||||
| 2011 | 1st | 1 | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 50 | 15 | 54 | Winners | |||
| 2012 | 1st | 1 | 26 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 64 | 25 | 60 | Semi-finals | Cézar
|
15 |  Ivan Kolev
|
| 2013 | 1st | 1 | 22 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 42 | 20 | 49 | Cancelled | Cézar
|
20 | |
| 2014 | 1st | 2 | 22 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 60 | 22 | 46 | Quarter-finals | Cézar
|
26 |  Eric Williams
|
| 2015 | 1st | 1 | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 62 | 28 | 54 | 2nd round | Cézar
|
28 | Tin Maung Tun
|
| 2016 | 1st | 2 | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 43 | 25 | 40 | Runners-up | Kyaw Ko Ko
|
13 | Myo Min Tun
|
| 2017 | 1st | 2 | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 45 | 11 | 52 | Runners-up | Kyaw Ko Ko
|
9 | Myo Min Tun
|
| 2018 | 1st | 1 | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 54 | 20 | 51 | Winners | Sylla Sekou
|
28 | Myo Min Tun Maung
|
| 2019 | 1st | 3 | 22 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 40 | 15 | 43 | Winners | Sylla Sekou
|
10 | Tin Maung Tun
|
| 2020 | 1st | 4 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 39 | 18 | 37 | Emmanuel Uzochukwu &  Ernest Barfo
|
8 | Min Tun Lin
| |
| 2022 | 1st | 2 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 8 | 39 | Valci Júnior
|
8 | Min Tun Lin
| |
| 2023 | 1st | 2 | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 57 | 13 | 51 | Sekou Sylla Yan Kyaw Htwe
|
11 |  Gerd Zeise
| |
| 2024–25 | 1st | 2 | 22 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 62 | 20 | 51 | Yan Kyaw Htwe
|
13 | Kyaw Dunn
| |
Honours
| Type | Competition | Titles | Title Seasons | Runners-up | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Myanmar National League | 5 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 | 6 | 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024–25 |
| Cup | General Aung San Shield | 2 | 2018, 2019 | 2 | 2016, 2017 |
| MFF Cup | 1 | 2011 | – | – | |
| MFF Charity Cup | 3 | 2013, 2016, 2018 | 3 | 2012, 2014, 2019 | |
| MNL League Cup | 1 | 2025 | 2 | 2009, 2024 | |
| Youth | MNL Reserve League | 2 | 2009, 2010 | – | – |
| MNL U-21 Youth League | 3 | 2012, 2014, 2015 | – | – | |
| MNL U-20 Youth League | 0 | – | 1 | 2016 | |
| MNL U-19 Youth League | 1 | 2016 | 0 | – | |
| International | AFC Cup | – | – | Zonal Semi-final: 1 Round of 16: 2 |
Zonal Semi-final: 2018 Round of 16: 2013, 2014 |
References
- ^ Han Oo Khin (9–15 March 2009). "New era for football". The Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Yokohama F. Marinos sign pact with Myanmar's Yangon United". goal.com. 15 October 2013. Archived from the original on 27 August 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- ^ Thomas Kean (25–31 May 2009). "Footballers from abroad at home in Myanmar". The Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
- ^ "Coaching Staff". Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2017. in Burmese
External links
- Yangon United F.C. on Soccerway