Phnom penh: Phnom Penh Crown FC delivered a dominant performance on Tuesday night, thrashing Brunei’s Kasuka FC 6-0 to secure their place in the group stage of the 2025-2026 AFC Challenge League. Playing at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, the Cambodian club established a one-goal lead in the first half before exploding with five additional goals in the second half to seal the victory.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the win places Phnom Penh Crown into the main draw of Asia’s third-tier club competition. They were given the opportunity to compete in the playoff after a North Korean team failed to meet the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) club licensing criteria. With Phnom Penh Crown’s qualification, Cambodia will be represented by two clubs in the 2025-2026 AFC Challenge League group stage, alongside Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.
This comes on the heels of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng’s strong showing in the previous season, where they reached the fi
nal of the 2024-2025 AFC Challenge League. They were ultimately defeated 2-1 by Turkmenistan’s FK Arkadag in a final held in Phnom Penh on May 10, 2025.