Thailand will be backed in their Asian Cup opener against India on Sunday by members of the football team dramatically rescued from a cave in their country last year.
The AFC said on Saturday that three players of the Wild Boars, along with an assistant coach, had been invited to attend the match at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
"The courage and perseverance of the 12 teenagers and their coach under extremely challenging conditions were a source of inspiration for millions of people across the world," AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said in a statement.
According to the AFC, the invite is part of a "larger two-year support program" which will provide the club with technical assistance, training equipment and match balls.
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Thailand and India are in Group A which opens the tournament on Saturday with hosts United Arab Emirates playing Bahrain.
In July 2018 the Wild Boars spent more than two weeks deep inside a cave, stranded after flash floods blocked their only exit.
An international diving team ushered them to safety in a complicated and dangerous mission amidst a forecast of heavy rain which threatened to raise the water levels.
