Sophoan Peou: the beating heart of Cambodian footy

By Chris McAsey

Many people have contributed to the rapid growth of footy in Asia over the past decade, but few have performed as many roles – and with as much passion and conviction – as Cambodia’s Sophoan Peou.

Player, umpire, coach, mentor – Sophoan has been a trailblazer for footy in Asia. In a single weekend, she might line up at full back for the Cambodian Eagles, umpire a men’s game and run Kick to Kick sessions for Khmer kids at an NGO or school.

The Eagles’ thriving football programs of today sprung from small seeds and Sophoan has been a groundbreaker, particularly for women’s participation. In 2016, she and three other women travelled from Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City to help make up two mixed women’s teams at the 2016 Asian Championships.

‘There weren’t many Cambodian women playing footy then,’ Sophoan explains in a break between games at the 2025 Championships in Chon Buri.

‘We had a policy – “one player, one friend,”’ she says. ‘It means every new player had to bring one friend. That’s how we grew.’

‘We started very small, then grew to 10 players, then 20, then 30. Now we work with two or three NGOs, training kids every week.’

Sophoan’s face lights up as she points out one of the boys playing for Cambodia who came through an NGO training program.

‘Coming here to Thailand was his first flight, ever!’ she says with obvious pride.

‘Actually, this is the first time we have flown to the Asian Champs in seven years. We usually go everywhere by bus!’

The Eagles’ innovative blend of community building and links with local NGOs has now become a model for local footy development in Asia. For Sophoan though, it runs much deeper – the Eagles community is more like family.

‘We do everything together, like a big family,’ she says. ‘We train hard, we play hard, we party hard.’

‘’You fight together on field and have fun together and make new friends.’

Sophoan is momentarily overcome as she talks about what the club means to her.

‘Oh my God, I’m sorry,’ she says, smiling through tears.

‘We’re involved in each other’s lives. If someone has a birthday party or a baby or something like that, we all go to celebrate.’

Sophoan was raised by her mother in tough circumstances in Battambang before moving to Phnom Penh as a child.

‘We didn’t have anything,’ she says. ‘But we were lucky to be taken in by a French NGO. So my first language is Khmer, French is my second and English is my third.’

The resilience formed by her early life carries into everything Sophoan does. She is a fierce competitor on field and a pillar of the Eagles defence, and still the only female umpire in Asia.

‘I started umpiring in 2018,” she says. ‘I learned from visiting umpires and online courses, but I really want to do a proper course in Australia if I can.’

‘When you do the umpiring course online, you just read and tick boxes, but I  need to get more practice on field.’

The Eagles’ programs in NGOs and schools with support from AFL Asia is now helping a new generation of Khmer kids discover footy.

It’s not without challenges. Sophoan says that convincing Cambodian parents to let their kids play contact sport is one. Ongoing funding and sponsorship is another.

“Some families worry — if you get injured, who’s going to pay for it?” she says. “It’s not just about playing sport for them.’

‘We do a lot of fundraising and there are great people from the Vietnam Swans and Thailand Tigers who sponsor our players.’

‘But it would be amazing if we can get some help with equipment. For example, it’s hard to find a good mouthguard in Cambodia.’

Sophoan wears her heart on her sleeve and is justifiably proud of Cambodia’s reputation for fearless and committed footy. But she says the Asian Champs is not all about winning.

‘We’re proud that most of our best players are Cambodian, especially the girls,’ she says.’

‘But we support all the other teams as well. I’ve made so many new friends from Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.’

‘You’re not going to win all the time, so just accept it and support one another either way.’