Cambodia are set to make their 10th ASEAN Championship appearance and will be hoping to reach the knockout stage for the very first time.
The Koupreys begin their campaign on the opening day against Malaysia at the newly refurbished National Olympic Stadium after undergoing an intensive training camp in Qatar, having gradually become one of the most improved national teams in Southeast Asia.
Tournament Record
Group Stage (9): 2022, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2008, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1996
Tournament Highlights
Cambodia qualified for the inaugural edition in 1996 but exited without any points to their name. They registered their landmark first-ever victory at the 2000 ASEAN Championship when they defeated Laos 3-0 courtesy of a Hok Sochetra brace.
Two years later, Ung Kanyanith’s 90th-minute winner helped them beat the Philippines 1-0. However, they had to wait another 16 years for their third win in the tournament as Chan Vathanaka, Prak Mony Udom and Keo Sokpheng’s goals saw them beat Laos 3-1, which was followed by another win against the same opponents in the 2020 edition with Vathanaka this time netting a double.
Cambodia’s finest campaign came last time out in 2022 when they put up brave fights against Indonesia and Thailand while beating the Philippines 3-2 and Brunei DS 5-1 but it ultimately wasn’t enough to send them to the knockout phase.
Head Coach: Koji Gyotoku
Koji Gyotoku was appointed Cambodia’s interim head coach in September after the team disappointingly lost to Sri Lanka in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification playoffs. The 59-year-old is no stranger to Cambodian football having been in charge of the national age group teams since 2019.
The Japanese tactician has also managed Nepal and Bhutan in South Asia, famously leading Bhutan to the semi-finals of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup semi-finals in 2008, having been in charge of Shimizu S-Pulse prior to that in his homeland.
One To Watch: Lim Pisoth
Still only 23, Lim Pisoth has become one of the most crucial players in the current Cambodian national team setup. The winger has won two Cambodian Premier League titles with Phnom Penh Crown while also scoring twice against Brunei DS in the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2022.
In the ongoing 2024-25 season, Pisoth has been in terrific form registering 12 goal contributions in 11 appearances for the capital city club and one of Cambodian football’s hotshots will now aim to help his nation break new ground come next month.
The Legend: Hok Sochetra
The nation’s all-time top scorer, Hok Sochetra first scored in the ASEAN Championship in the 2000 edition against Malaysia as Cambodia narrowly lost the match 3-2. Just two days later, the forward would gain legendary status in the Southeast Asian nation when his second-half brace downed Laos in Songkhla for Cambodia’s first-ever win in the competition.
Two years later, he was back on the regional stage, first scoring against Vietnam followed by his first-half double to give Cambodia a 2-1 lead at half-time against Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be as the Cambodians lost the match 4-2.
Overall, Sochetra scored 20 goals in just 26 international matches. A goals-to-games ratio worthy of praise!
Did You Know?
Cambodia’s home venue, the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh underwent a major refurbishment this year after the installation of 25,000 new seats as they're now ready to showcase it to the wider Southeast Asian football audience.
Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ Fixtures
Cambodia vs Malaysia (8 December, 2024)
Singapore vs Cambodia (11 December, 2024)
Cambodia vs Timor-Leste (17 December, 2024)
Thailand vs Cambodia (20 December, 2024)
Photo: Football Federation of Cambodia
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