On Saturday 10^th March, 480 young football talents from around Cambodia travelled to the ISF Sports Ground in Phnom Penh to compete in the 11^th annual ISF Boys’ Tournament, which saw teams travel up to seven hours each way to compete.

This year, ISF partnered with the Ian Thompson Memorial for the 5^th year in a row to run the Boys’ Tournament for under 10s and under 14s. Yin Samedy, ISF’s Football Programme Manager, explained: “Our 2018 Boys’ Tournament attracted 41 teams and 950 spectators from ten provinces around Cambodia. The event is often the highlight of the year for these young children who rarely get the chance to take part in competitive sport. Through participating in competitions, they gain vital skills such as determination, drive to succeed as well as developing resilience when they lose matches.  Moreover, this national tournament provides players with an opportunity to travel outside their immediate communities, learn and interact with peers from all across the country”.

From early morning on the day of the tournament, the ISF Sports Ground in Phnom Penh was buzzing with young Cambodian players ready to compete. The competition was tough and M’lop Tapang and  Koma Klang 1 dominated the U10 division to make it to the finals, while Forza Academy faced Chum Kriel for the U14 division trophy. The teams fought hard and demonstrated great teamwork in what were exciting and fierce competitions, with the U10 M’lop Tapang and the U14 Chum Kriel becoming the 2018 Ian Thompson Memorial – ISF Boys Champions. Click here to read the full results.

ISF’s Football Programme works directly with disadvantaged children who live in communities where poverty, social exclusion and lack of opportunity regularly lead to harmful behaviours. ISF provides opportunities for children to access their rights to play and education, promoting healthy life choices, equality and diversity, providing football training and competition opportunities for children and youth of all abilities and genders whilst developing social awareness, education, soft-skills, employability and leadership.