Some of ASEAN’s leading clubs and players will battle each other for regional supremacy as the group stage action in the inaugural ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ gets underway on August 21.
As many as 12 top clubs from the region have been divided into two groups with each side playing the other teams in their pool once at some of the iconic venues across Southeast Asia and the top two sides from each group making it to the knockout stage slated to be played in April next year.
With the kick-off for the first-ever Shopee Cup fast approaching, ASEAN United FC takes a look at the six venues that the clubs in Group A will call home during the competition.
Thanh Hoa Province Stadium - Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC
Nestled at the heart of Thanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa Stadium has over the years served as a fortress for Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC who have made unforgettable memories at the venue in recent seasons, winning their maiden Vietnamese Cup title after defeating Viettel FC on penalties in 2023 and then repeating that feat last season in front of their supporters again.
Thanh Hoa Stadium can seat a total of 14,400 fans in its two stands and the venue’s intimidating ambience will be a formidable challenge for both Myanmar’s Shan United FC and Cambodian champions Svay Rieng FC who will visit during the group stage of the maiden Shopee Cup.
Batakan Stadium - PSM Makassar
The majestic Batakan Stadium is where Indonesia’s PSM Makassar will play their home matches in the Shopee Cup with BG Pathum United making the trip to Balikpapan in the opener followed by Myanmar National League champions Shan United FC on Matchday Two and Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC of Vietnam in the final set of group stage fixtures.
Andi Mattalatta Stadium was PSM Makassar’s home up until its demolition in 2020 and the club have since then played at various venues including Batakan Stadium on the neighbouring island of Borneo. The venue, also home to Borneo FC Samarinda and Persiba Balikpapan, was opened in 2017 and can seat 40,000 supporters.
National Olympic Stadium - Svay Rieng FC
Inaugurated in 1964, Olympic Stadium has stood as a landmark in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh for the past six decades. In its early days, the venue hosted a two-legged FIFA World Cup qualifiers tie between DPR Korea and Australia that saw the former emerge as winners and reach the 1966 tournament where they became the first Asian nation to progress past the group stage.
More recently, the stadium has hosted Cambodia’s home matches on the international stage and Cambodian Premier League fixtures. Olympic Stadium was also the venue for the men’s and women’s football matches at the Southeast Asian Games when the country hosted the multi-sport event for the first time in 2023.
BG Stadium - BG Pathum United
Thai League 1 giants BG Pathum United’s home arena sports a new look these days after the construction of a fourth stand was completed in April this year, with BG Stadium now able to seat 15,114 fans. In July, the Rabbits recorded a memorable win at the stadium after defeating 2023/24 UEFA Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in a friendly fixture in front of a sold-out crowd.
The stadium in Pathum Thani was opened in 2010 and has hosted BGPU's matches in domestic competitions and multiple editions of the AFC Champions League. BG Stadium has also occasionally hosted the Thailand national team since 2019 with the War Elephants facing Congo, Suriname and Bahrain in friendlies over the years.
Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium - Terengganu FC
Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium became Terengganu FC’s home ground shortly after its opening in 2008 ahead of the Sukma Games – Malaysia’s biennial multi-sport event. With the ability to hold a capacity crowd of 50,000, it is the third-largest stadium in Malaysia after Bukit Jalil National Stadium and Shah Alam Stadium and the largest along the east coast.
Apart from the Turtles, Malaysia national team have also played their home matches at the arena with Harimau Malaya recording a phenomenal 10-0 victory against Papua New Guinea in a friendly in June 2023 – their second biggest win at the international stage.
Thuwunna Football Stadium - Shan United FC
Myanmar National Stadium Youth Training Center, also known as Thuwunna Stadium, is the home of the Myanmar national team, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Japan, DPR Korea and Syria being played there, while it also plays host to a number of Myanmar National League fixtures.
The 50,000-seater stadium in Yangon hosted the football matches when Myanmar last hosted the Southeast Asian Games in 2013 and was also one of the venues for the group stages of the AFF Championship in 2016 as the hosts posted impressive wins against Cambodia and Malaysia to reach the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.
Photo: BG Pathum United
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