The football tournament at the 1981 SEA Games was held from 6 December to 15 December 1981 in Manila, Philippines.

GK Narasak Boonkleang GK Sompong Nantapraparsil GK Sirisak Yamsang DF Thaweerat Sittipultong DF Amnart Chalermchavalit DF Prapan Premsri DF Varin Tansuphasiri DF Watana Promsakha MF Apinan Punrasiri MF Sompit Suwanaplugh MF Songwuti Khanthatat MF Wisoon Wichaya MF Chalermwoot Sa-Ngapol MF Sompong Wattana MF Vorawan Chitavanich FW Suntara Klanarong FW Chredsak Chaiyabutr FW Chalor Hongkajohn FW Piyapong Pue-on FW Madard Tongtaum Coach: Prawit Chaisam GK R. Arumugam DF Jamal Nasir DF Wong Hung Nung DF Kamal Khalid DF G. Torairaju DF Yassin Mohammad Noor DF S. Pushpanathan DF K. Gunasakarn MF Muhidin Hussin MF Rosli Hussein MF Abdul Muin bin Abdul Rahim MF Khalid Ali MF Sujeindran M. Suppiah FW Ibrahim Haji Din FW Mokhtar Dahari FW Yunus Alif FW Zainal Abidin Hassan FW Alis Syed Mohamad Coach: Karl-Heinz Weigang GK Poerwono GK A.A Raka DF Simson Rumahpasal DF Didik Darmadi DF Nassir Salassa DF Rusdin Lacanda DF Ronny Pattinasarany MF Tommy Latuperissa MF Riono Asnan MF Berti Tutuarima MF Herry Kiswanto MF Rully Nere FW Mettu Duaramuri FW Spiks Pulanda FW Stefanus Sirey FW Taufik Saleh FW Robby Binur FW Risdianto Coach: Bernd Fischer