Young Elephants FC

Young Elephants Football Club, commonly known as Young Elephants, is a professional football club based in Vientiane, Laos. The club currently competes in the Lao League 1, the top-tier football league in Laos. The club is own by Singaporean businessman Jason Lim since 2018. The club has won 2 league titles (back to back undefeated) and 1 Lao FF Cup.

Young Elephants players comprise majority of the Laos national team.

History
Young Elephants were founded in 2015 by the Lao Football Federation (LFF) with the aim of giving exposure to footballers aged 16 to 19 years old and helping them launch their professional careers. But in 2017, the LFF gave up ownership of the club due to rules around club licensing and privatisation and sought out Jason Lim, who was well known to the federation due to his voluntary work as team manager for the Laos national U-23 football team between 2009 and 2017. A year later, Jason Lim took the reins and roped in other Singaporeans based in Laos which are Kevin Pereira and Philip Tay as the club board members. Yet, this has required significant outlay. Since 2018, Jason Lim has been the president and chairman of the Young Elephants, injecting his passion and resources into the team. Jason Lim said that he has spent close to $1 million since taking over the club and also visits Peninsula Plaza back in Singapore each year to buy the latest football boots for the whole squad so that his players "truly feel like professional players with the bulk of the expenditure has gone towards raising players salaries. Under Jason Lim’s visionary leadership, the Young Elephants experienced a meteoric rise in the Laotian football landscape. What makes the Young Elephants’ achievements even more astounding is the fact that the players comprise approximately 80% of the Laos national team. Their dominance on the domestic front is a testament to their talent and influence within the country. Young Elephants have cultivated a culture of unity, determination, and hard work under the guidance of their Singaporean head coach, Satyasagara, who took charge of the club in March 2022. His coaching philosophy goes beyond the tactical aspects of the game with him winning the league undefeated back to back in both season. Satyasagara has created an environment where each player feels valued and understood. By establishing a deep bond with his team, the coach has fostered a sense of trust and camaraderie that fuels their on-field performances.

Back-to-back Invincibles (2022–2023)
In the 2022 season, the Young Elephants embarked on a remarkable Lao League 1 campaign that would go down in the history of Laos football. With an unbeaten run that spanned the entire league, they asserted their authority on the pitch. Out of the 18 matches they played, the Elephants emerged victorious in 13 and secured five draws, amassing 44 points.Their tally was a resounding 11 points ahead of their nearest challengers, Master 7 FC, leaving no doubt that they were the deserving 2022 Lao League 1 champions. After securing their maiden Lao League 1 title, the Young Elephants faced the daunting challenge of defending their crown in the 2023 season. Many wondered if they could maintain the same level of dominance and go undefeated once again. The answer came with resounding clarity. Once again, the Elephants proved their indomitable spirit by remaining unbeaten and clinching their second consecutive Lao League 1 championship. Out of the 14 games played in the 2023 season, the Elephants emerged winners in 12 and secured two draws, demonstrating their unyielding hunger for success.

AFC Cup debut
The Elephants make their 2022 AFC Cup debut being drawn in Group I with Viettel from Vietnam, Hougang United from Singapore and Phnom Penh Crown from Cambodia however the club suffered a defeat to all of them and crash out from the group stage.

Young Elephants then qualified to the 2023–24 AFC Cup qualifying play-off facing against Phnom Penh Crown in the 2nd preliminary round.

Affiliated clubs

 * Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng

Stadium
Young Elephants play their home matches at the New Laos National Stadium. The stadium is located about 17 km from the centre of Vientiane City and comprises a 25,000-seat capacity stadium.

Honours

 * Lao League 1
 * Champions (2): 2022, 2023
 * Lao FF Cup
 * Winners (2): 2020, 2022