Royal Gendarmerie forces conduct a drill at the Morodok Techo National Stadium ahead of the May 10 international club match. Roth Sreang
Peter Koo, general-director of the Cambodian Premier League (CPL), has expressed his hopes that Cambodia’s Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC will triumph over FK Arkadag of Turkmenistan in the AFC Challenge League final, which will be hald May 10 at the Morodok Techo National Stadium.
The Phnom Penh Royal Gendarmerie has mobilised security forces to ensure that the atmosphere remain safe for the historic encounter.
Koo described the final as a rare and historic moment for Cambodian football. He also called on fans to come out in large numbers to support Svay Rieng, in hopes the team can claim victory and represent Cambodia in the second-tier continental tournament in the future.
“The meeting between Svay Rieng and Arkadag is the first opportunity of its kind in the football history of the professional clubs of the CPL,” he said.
“If we (Svay Rieng) can achieve a good result in the AFC Challenge League, we’ll have a chance to qualify for the second-tier Asian club competition next season. So we need everyone to join in and support the team — either by attending in person at the stadium or watching live on BTV. Don’t miss out!” he added.
Their commanding officer has explained that there is no need for alarm, but it is important to be prepared for any ‘emergency scenarios’. Roth Sreang
Meanwhile, the Phnom Penh Gendarmerie has mobilised a large force for drills at the stadium, in preparation for any emergency scenarios during the final.
The security drills were made public by Roth Sreang, Deputy Commander of the National Gendarmerie and Commander of the Phnom Penh Gendarmerie, through a Facebook post this afternoon, May 9.
The display of such a large-scale drill surprised the public, especially fans, but Roth Sreang clarified that there was no need for alarm.
“Prevention is better than a cure!” he said.
He explained that this was necessary because of the massive crowd expected for the AFC Challenge League final — over 53,000 tickets have already been sold, not counting related personnel and staff.
“This was merely a simulation drill in preparation for an emergency response, aimed at ensuring safety, order and rapid rescue measures during the AFC Challenge League 2024/2025 final,” he noted.
Cambodian Premier League (CPL) general-director Peter Koo has called for the public to support Svay Rieng FC as they take on FK Arkadag. CPL
