What’s it like watching the C-League in Cambodia? So, this is not a football blog, it is a street food blog, but hey ho, I am in Cambodia and watching a lot of football. I’ll report on the games that I watch, but also what food they serve at the stadiums! Thus keeping a good feel!
What is the C-League 1?
It is the top echelon of football in Cambodia, the Cambodian Premier League if you will. It is for the most part a professional league and has at least some foreign stars in it.
How many teams are in the Metfone C-League?
There are currently 12 times in the C-league, each team plays each other twice, top team are the champions. Nice and simple league format. Winners get to enter the continental club championship.
Bottom club gets relegated to be replaced by the top team in C-League 2. C-League 2 there is scant information on, but is more of an amateur provincial league.
Is there A Cambodian FA Cup?
The Cambodian FA Cup is called the Prime-Ministers cup, or rather the Hun Sen Cup. It starts with provincial teams, such as the mighty Kep FC, before the big boys enter. Visakha FC won the 2020 Hun Sen Cup.
To read about watching Kampot FC click here
What is the standard of play?
At the top level it si pretty decent, theres a slew of foreign players topping up the local talent, a few thousand go to games, and it is screened on TV.
How as the opening round of the 2021 C-League
I have kind of been roped into being a Visakha supporter, they were playing Tiffy Army FC in the opening match. Due to the Covid outbreak it was played behind closed doors. Watching football behind closed doors is a weird experience.
To read about the Coronavirus outbreak in Cambodia click here .
What are the stadiums like?
Very mixed, for example Prey Veng FC it is pretty much a shed. Visakha on the other hand play in the 7000 capacity Prince Stadium (their sponsor). Some of it is still being built, but overall an impressive ground for the C-League.
And the facilities?
Vaskha probably have the best club shop in the C-League, they do not though have shirts in big boy sizes.
And the food scene? Completely non-existent, no beer, not even drinks you can buy. And pies? there are no pies at Cambodian football grounds. Who ate all the pies at the Cambodian football? Not me I’m afraid.
And that is what it is like to watch the C-League!