# Shan United F.C.

Shan United Football Club (Burmese: ရှမ်းယူနိုက်တက် အသင်း, pronounced) is a professional football club based in Taunggyi, Myanmar, representing the Shan State in the Myanmar National League. It had previously competed as an amateur club under the name Kanbawza, based in Yangon. The club had won 6 league titles (including one unbeaten title), 1 General Aung San Shield, 2 MNL Cup and 3 MFF Charity Cup.
The club did not lose a single match in their 2022 season winning 15 games and drawing 3 times.

## History
### Kanbawza

Kanbawza was founded in 2003, played as an amateur club in the Myanmar Premier League, the highest football league in Myanmar at the time. The club's first manager was Myo Win Nyunt; its first coach was Ye Nyunt. The club won the 2007 Myanmar Premier League title and participated in the AFC President's Cup 2008 tournament.
Kanbawza was a founding member of the Myanmar National League, which succeeded the Myanmar Premier League in 2009. In the process, the club changed its status from amateur to professional, and changed its home base from Yangon to Taunggyi.
The first professional manager was Aye Maung Gyi, who also served as head coach in the club first era in the inaugural league. The former captain of the Myanmar national team, Soe Myat Min, became Kanbawza's first captain, and the most expensive player in the Myanmar National League. The club has also signed other Myanmar international football team players.
In its first-ever professional football match, Kanbawza won by 3 goals over Okktha United. Sa Htet Naing scored the team's first goal and defender Khin Maung Lwin won the Man of the Match award, scoring the team's other two goals. Kanbawza finished fourth in the league's inaugural cup competition, the Myanmar National League Cup 2009. In February 2010, former finance and revenue team manager, Khin Maung Kyaing took control the club as chief executive officer. In 2012, it finished as League runners-up.

### Shan United

In 2015, Kanbawza changed its name to Shan United. The club went on to win their first ever professional piece of silverware in 2017 winning both the 2017 Myanmar National League title and the 2017 General Aung San Shield which sees them qualified for next season 2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs playing against Ceres–Negros of Philippines but the club lost on penalties shoot-out and was bowed down to the 2018 AFC Cup group stage where they also were knockout for finishing last in the group. Shan United went on to become back to back league champions in 2019 and 2020 which see them winning the 2019 and 2020 MFF Charity Cup thus qualifying to the 2019 and 2020 AFC Cup. Shan United went on to win the 2022 Myanmar National League being undefeated and thus qualifying them to the 2023–24 AFC Cup.
In 2024, Shan United then qualified to the inaugural 2024–25 AFC Challenge League and also the recently revived tournament, the 2024–25 ASEAN Club Championship where they won Bruneian club Kasuka 4–2 on aggregate to qualified to the group stage, being placed alongside Indonesian club PSM Makassar, Vietnamese club Đông Á Thanh Hóa, Malaysian club Terengganu, Cambodian club Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng and Thailand club BG Pathum United. Shan United and Đông Á Thanh Hóa played the opening match of the tournament at the Thanh Hóa Stadium on 21 August where club player, Moussa Bakayoko scored the first goal of the tournament in the fifth minute, however Shan United went on to lose 3–1 against the Vietnamese side. Shan United then hosted the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League Group D fixtures alongside Taiwanese club Tainan City and Laotian club Young Elephants. Shan United manage to top the group beating Young Elephants 2–0 and drawing 2–2 with Tainan City which then see the club advance to the quarter-finals facing off against Cambodian side Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.

## Players
### First-team squad

    As of 7 March 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | MYA | Pyae Phyo Thu |
| 2 | DF | MYA | Zwe Khant Min |
| 3 | DF | MYA | Ye Min Thu |
| 4 | DF | MYA | Thet Hein Soe |
| 5 | DF | MYA | Hein Thiha Zaw (captain) |
| 6 | DF | MYA | Nanda Kyaw (vice-captain) |
| 7 | FW | MYA | Kyaw Ko Ko |
| 8 | DF | MYA | Hein Phyo Win |
| 9 | FW | BRA | Efrain Rintaro |
| 10 | FW | MYA | Thu Rein Tun |
| 11 | MF | MYA | Htet Phyo Wai |
| 12 | FW | CIV | Moussa Bakayoko |
| 13 | GK | MYA | Kyaw Zin Phyo |
| 14 | MF | MYA | Zar Nay Ya Thu |
| 15 | DF | MYA | Aung Wunna Soe |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | MYA | Lin Htet Soe |
| 17 | MF | JPN | Ryuji Hirota |
| 18 | MF | MYA | Zin Phyo Aung |
| 19 | MF | MYA | Thet Wai Moe |
| 20 | MF | MYA | Sa Aung Pyae Ko |
| 21 | MF | MYA | Khun Kyaw Zin Hein |
| 23 | MF | MYA | Myo Ko Tun |
| 24 | DF | MYA | Zwe Htet Min |
| 25 | DF | CMR | William Nyakwe |
| 26 | MF | MYA | Myat Kaung Khant |
| 27 | MF | GHA | Mark Sekyi |
| 28 | DF | MYA | Aung Min Soe |
| 29 | FW | MYA | Ye Yint Aung |
| 30 | GK | MYA | Aung Thet Oo |
| 33 | MF | MYA | Zaw Han Tun |

## Coaching staff

| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Hiroki Ono |
| Assistant coach | Han Win Aung Aung Kyaw Tun |
| Goalkeeper coach | Kyaw Myat Thu |
| Fitness coach | Thet Zin Phyo |
| Match Analyst | Soe Phyo Aung |
| Physiotherapist | Tsubasa Shinoda |
| Kit manager | Aung Linn Tun |
| Head of media | Aung Paing |

## Individual records

Lists of the players with the most caps and top goalscorers for the club in the league games (players in bold signifies current Shan United player).
    As of 16 October 2023

## Performance in AFC club competitions

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2008 | AFC President's Cup | Group C | FC Aşgabat | 0–1 | 2nd |
| 2008 | AFC President's Cup | Group C | Ratnam SC | 2–3 | 2nd |
| 2008 | AFC President's Cup | Group C | Transport United | 11–0 | 2nd |
| 2009 | AFC President's Cup | Group C | Phnom Penh Crown | 4–3 | 2nd |
| 2009 | AFC President's Cup | Group C | Yeedzin FC | 2–4 | 2nd |
| 2009 | AFC President's Cup | Group C | Dordoi-Dynamo Naryn | 2–1 | 2nd |
| 2018 | AFC Champions League | Preliminary round 1 | Ceres–Negros | 1–1 (3–4 p) |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Group F | Home United | 0–1 | 2–3 | 4th |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Group F | Boeung Ket Angkor | 1–4 | 2–1 | 4th |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Group F | Ceres–Negros | 0–1 | 0–2 | 4th |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Group G | Ceres–Negros | 0–5 | 2–3 | 4th |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Group G | Persija Jakarta | 1–3 | 1–6 | 4th |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Group G | Becamex Bình Dương | 1–2 | 0–6 | 4th |
| 2020 | AFC Champions League | Preliminary round 1 | Ceres–Negros | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
| 2020 | AFC Cup | Group H | Kaya–Iloilo | 0–2 | Cancelled | 4th |
| 2020 | AFC Cup | Group H | PSM Makassar | Cancelled | 1–3 | 4th |
| 2020 | AFC Cup | Group H | Tampines Rovers | Cancelled | 1–2 | 4th |
| 2021 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Group H | Macarthur | 0–3 | 0–4 | 4th |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Group H | Cebu | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4th |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Group H | Phnom Penh Crown | 2–1 | 0–4 | 4th |
| 2024–25 | AFC Challenge League | Group D | Young Elephants | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | AFC Challenge League | Group D | Tainan City | 2–2 | 2–2 | | 1st |
| 2024–25 | AFC Challenge League | Quarter-finals | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng | 2–1 | 2–6 | 4–7 |

## Performance in AFF club competitions

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2024–25 | ASEAN Club Championship | Qualifying play-off | Kasuka | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| 2024–25 | ASEAN Club Championship | Group A | Đông Á Thanh Hóa | 1–3 | 1–3 | 6th |
| 2024–25 | ASEAN Club Championship | Group A | PSM Makassar | 3–4 | 3–4 | | 6th |
| 2024–25 | ASEAN Club Championship | Group A | Terengganu | 0–5 | 0–5 | | 6th |
| 2024–25 | ASEAN Club Championship | Group A | BG Pathum United | 1–4 | 1–4 | | 6th |
| 2024–25 | ASEAN Club Championship | Group A | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng | 2–4 | 2–4 | | 6th |

## Invitational tournament record

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2012 | Singapore Cup | Round of 16 | Woodlands Wellington | 2–1 |

## Honours
### League

* Myanmar National League
** Champions (6): 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024–25
** Runners-up (2): 2012, 2018
* Myanmar Premier League
** Champions (2): 2007, 2008

### Cup

* General Aung San Shield
** Winners (1): 2017
** Runners-up (1): 2019
* MNL Cup
** Winners (2): 2013, 2024
* MFF Charity Cup
** Winners (3): 2013, 2019, 2020
** Runners-up (1): 2018
* MFF Cup
** Runners-up (1): 2014

### Youth Competitions

* MNL U-21 Youth League
** Runners-up (3): 2017, 2018, 2019
* MNL U-20 Youth League
** Champion (2): 2016, 2024
* MNL U-19 Youth League
** Champion (3): 2017, 2018, 2019

## Domestic

| Season | League | League | League | League | League | League | League | League | League | MFF Cup | Top goalscorer | Top goalscorer | Manager |
| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | MFF Cup | Name | Goals | Manager |
| 2009 | 1st | 4th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 12 | | | | |
| 2009–10 | 1st | 3rd | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 18 | 24 | | | | |
| 2010 | 1st | 4th | 20 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 11 | 38 | | | | |
| 2011 | 1st | 4th | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 27 | 21 | 33 | | | | |
| 2012 | 1st | 2nd | 22 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 64 | 25 | 59 | Runners-up | Nunez | 16 | |
| 2013 | 1st | 3rd | 22 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 47 | 23 | 41 | – | Soe Min Oo | 15 | |
| 2014 | 1st | 3rd | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 37 | 27 | 40 | Third round | Tihomir Živković | 10 | |
| 2015 | 1st | 5th | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 38 | 33 | 35 | Second round | Caleb Folan | 12 | Soe Myat Min |
| 2016 | 1st | 5th | 22 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 32 | 13 | 36 | Quarter-final | Soe Min Oo | 9 | Soe Myat Min |
| 2017 | 1st | 1 | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 37 | 8 | 54 | Winners | Christopher Chizoba | 15 | Soe Myat Min |
| 2018 | 1st | 2nd | 22 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 33 | 13 | 50 | Semi-final | Dway Ko Ko Chit | 11 | Marjan Sekulovski |
| 2019 | 1st | 1 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 45 | 21 | 46 | final | Dway Ko Ko Chit | 5 | Aung Naing |
| 2020 | 1st | 1 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 16 | 46 | | Zin Min Tun | 7 | Aung Naing |
| 2022 | 1st | 1 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 8 | 4 | | Nanda Kyaw | 7 | Han Win Aung |