After the successful staging of the Charity Cup last year, which was sponsored by Metro Rahu, event organiser Jimmy Campbell is ready to launch a third edition on Sunday, May 6 at the Beeline Arena.

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The main thrust behind this 10-team mini football tournament is to raise funds for Happy Football Cambodia Australia, a Phnom Penh-based charity organisation that is committed to supporting disadvantaged children through football coaching, education and job opportunities.

“If we raise enough funds, we will be able to send a Cambodian team to the Homeless World Cup in Mexico City [in October],” Campbell, who has been head coach of HFCA’s football program for the past four years, told the Post.  

The former Scottish semi-professional holds impressive coaching credentials and has taken Cambodian teams to successive Homeless World Cups in Milan, Rio de Janeiro and Paris.

“The Charity Cup is a great way for corporate companies to compete against one another in a fun and friendly way.  It also helps as a team-building exercise,” he said.

“This event will be played in good spirit. There will be mixed men’s and women’s teams. We hope everyone has fun. You can play as much or as little as you like on the day of the event.”

Campbell noted the friendly competition was “all about supporting a very good cause”, adding that those who can’t play or don’t want to play can help in other ways.

“No contribution is too small and will be greatly appreciated.”

The HFCA is also seeking a major sponsor that would benefit from worldwide print media and television coverage of the Homeless World Cup in Mexico City, involving 60 countries.

The newly built Beeline Arena facility, on the Chhroy Changvar peninsula, will be hosting the day-long tournament free of charge.

“We are excited at the prospect of the Charity Cup coming to our new arena. This event is for a noble cause, and I am happy to be associated with it,”  Beeline Arena co-promoter Eric Delacollette said.

“The work on the pitch has been completed and the interior work awaits final touches. We are eagerly looking forward to an event of this size and importance.”

To contact the reporter on this story: H S Manjunath at [email protected]