To celebrate Cambodia hosting the 2023 Southeast Asian Games and ASEAN Para Games, Australian Ambassador Justin Whyatt and staff from the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh were honoured to play a friendly football match against Boeung Ket Football Club at the Cambodia Airways Stadium.

The Australian Embassy Wombats came into the match as underdogs. That reputation was well deserved. The skilled Boeung Ket went easy on the Aussies and at fulltime drew with a score of 1 – 1. Hungry for victory, but hampered by lack of skill, should the Wombats propose a rematch?

“It was great to meet the Boeung Ket Football team– they are a talented group of players and were just too good for us this time. Australia ns and Cambodians get behind our sports and understand how it can bring people together,” said Ambassador Whyatt.

Cambodia will make history next month hosting the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games for the first time, while Australia will co- host the 2023 Women's World Cup with New Zealand later this year. It will be the first time the tournament will have joint hosts and the first FIFA tournament to be held in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Australia has embarked on a decade of green and gold — with hosting major sporting events. The big event this year is the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup. Then we can look forward to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Netball World Cup in 2027, the two Rugby World Cups, the 2032

Olympics and Paralympics and a host of other major events including world championship for BMX and the British and Irish Lions Tour,” added Ambassador Whyatt.

Ambassador Whyatt met with Boeung Ket President Mrs Puth Thyda to discuss sport s and football in Cambodia. He was pleased to meet the football players and wished them luck for the upcoming SEA Games events.