The Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC), our long-term supporters, were back in Phnom Penh for the 6th ISF-HKFC annual football tournament on 2nd-4th June 2017. This year, almost 170 tourists signed up, with 90 players and coaches participating from their U10, U12 & U14 boys and girls teams.

The fun-filled ISF-HKFC tour kicked off on 3rd June. From early in the morning, the ISF Sports Ground was buzzing with young Cambodian and Hong Kong players ready to show off their skills. Eight teams from the Hong Kong Football Club and 32 ISF-sponsored teams took part in the event. As ISF works tirelessly to include Cambodian girls in football, we were extremely glad to welcome the Hong Kong Football Club U14 girls teams for the first time this year.

Throughout the day, the teams gave their all to bring home the tournament’s cup, plate, bowl and shield. We were extremely proud of the ISF-sponsored Samrong High School team for winning four out of five prizes. Congratulations also to the Hong Kong Football Club U14 team for winning the cup in the U14 boys division.

After the tournament, the Hong Kong Football Club tourists enjoyed a well-deserved dinner at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Phnom Penh, which culminated in the so-called ‘bug competition’ in which the Hong Kong Football Club kids competed to see who could eat more bugs.

The tour came to an end on 4th June, when the Hong Kong Football Club tourists had the chance to visit our schools and communities to learn more about ISF and see the impact of our work. Furthermore, the children from ISF and Hong Kong played fun games and activities, which represented a great opportunity for cultural exchange. After taking group photos and enjoying some pizza together, we headed to Phnom Penh’s riverside for a cruise on the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers to enjoy the view of the Royal Palace and the floating villages along the riverbanks.