Ekanit Panya (; born 21 October 1999) is a Thai professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Thai League 1 club BG Pathum United and the Thailand national team.
Ekanit spent his entire youth career at Chiangrai United before being promoted to the senior team in 2015. He won the Thai League 1 title with Chiangrai United in the 2019 season.
After 12 years at Chiangrai United, Ekanit moved to Muangthong United on a permanent transfer.
On 24 July 2023, Ekanit was loaned to 2022 AFC Champions League champions, Urawa Red Diamonds until the end of the year. In the 2023âÂÂ24 AFC Champions League group stage match on 4 October 2022, Ekanit came on as a substitute and in the 85th minute where he scored his first goal on his debut for the club to secured a massive 6âÂÂ0 home win against Vietnamese side, Hanoi.
On 20 October, Ekanit played the first match in J1 League against Kashiwa Reysol by substitution from the bench to the field in the 73rd minute of this match. Ekanit became the first Thai player in FIFA Club World Cup history after he was registered by Urawa Red Diamonds to participate in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.
In September 2017, he won the 2017 AFF U-18 Youth Championship with the Thailand U-19 team. He was called up to the senior squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification second round in September 2019. In 2022, he was called up for the 2022 AFF Championship by Head Coach Alexandré Pölking.
Ekanit was called up for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup but later withdrew to focus for the club. His decision received a lot of criticism from Thai fans.
Chiangrai United
Urawa Red Diamonds
Thailand U-19
Thailand U-23
Thailand