Asia

Cambodia breaks ground on Chinese-funded stadium

A Chinese-funded $157m (€147m/£126m) football stadium in Cambodia broke ground on Tuesday.

The 60,000-capacity venue (design concept pictured) will be used for hosting the Southeast Asian Games in 2023, the biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the 11 nations in the region. The stadium is located 10km north of Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital.

It will be the second largest stadium in the country behind the 70,000-capacity Phnom Penh Stadium.

Cambodia joined the SEA Games as a participating country in 1961, but will be hosting the event for the first time in 2023.

The greater stadium area, covering 40 acres, will be used for football, rugby and athletics, and is part of a sports complex encompassing 210 acres.

According to the Associated Press news agency, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that China’s support is evidence of the two countries’ close cooperation.