Cambodian Premier League (CPL) To kick-off on January March 5th
The eagerly anticipated return to play of the Cambodian League, newly rebranded as the Cambodian Premier League (CPL), will begin March 5th, according to league CEO Satoshi Saito.
To read about the Cambodian Premier League click here.
What’s been announced about the CPL?
During the press conference, held at the Emion Hotel in Phnom Penh, Satoshi announced that there would be eight teams taking part in the CPL this season. They are Phnom Penh Crown FC, Boeung Ket FC, Angkor Tiger FC, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC, Kirivong Sok Sen Chey FC, Visakha FC, Tiffy Army FC, and NagaWorld FC.
Technically the clubs were decided on a strict criterion related to the new licensing system but they also happened to be the top eight clubs in 2021. Read into that what you will.
League play commences on March 5th and theoretically could run until November, although Satoshi acknowledged that “anything could happen” with regards to Covid.
It was also announced that teams would play each other three times each, making for a 21-match season.
What about the other 5 clubs and CPL 2?
As previously reported by Khmer Nights, the CPL plans to have a second tier with up to twelve clubs. Aside from the five “missing clubs” of Soltilo Angkor FC, Prey Veng FC, National Police Commissary FC, Asia Euro United FC and Electricite du Cambodge FC), it is as of yet unknown who else might compete or when the league will be finalized.
Prime candidates for the CPL 2 are semi-professional clubs such as Phnom Penh Galaxy, regional cup winners Koh Kong as well as Siem Reap-based Next Step FC who have confirmed with Khmer Nights that they were in the application stage to join the division.
The balance of the competition is likely to be made up of the junior teams from some of the leading clubs in the country, although playoffs may also be used to decide the final line-up.
And the new CPL logo?
The new CPL logo was also introduced to the visiting football dignitaries. Satoshi said of the design, “We want to make it nationwide, where all 25 provinces will have their own CPL clubs in the future.” He further stressed his ambitious plans for the league, letting slip he might not have visited all of Cambodia’s provinces yet.
In a previous interview with Khmer Nights, Satoshi said the CPL would be loosely modelled on Japan’s J-League. Since the launch of that league, Japan have managed to turn themselves from football minnows into a regional powerhouse. It is hoped that Cambodia will be able to do the same.
And the new sponsor?
The league was previously sponsored by Metfone for an estimated $500,000. Satoshi is hoping to raise this figure to nearer $3 million. While it has not been officially announced yet it is known that the new sponsor is likely to be a big Japanese company. Quite how close they will get to the $3 million target remains unknown.
So, while the press conference left some questions unanswered, we can now at least pin some dates in our diaries for some top-flight football action.
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Author: Leon Havana
A trained chef and sports aficionado with extensive experience across South America and Asia. Leon’s culinary creations celebrate local flavors, while his love for sports like football and boxing connects him with local communities.
