Olympic Stadium Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh’s very own Olympic Stadium was constructed between 1963 and 1964. Despite its name, the stadium has never hosted the Olympic Games. Perhaps it was built to host the Southeast Asian Games of 1964, although there was also talk that it was built to host the Olympic Games of the non-aligned countries in the 1960s.

Vann Molyvann

The building is undeniably one of the architectural wonders of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Along with Independence Monument, Chaktomuk Conference Hall, the Institute of Foreign Languages, Royal University of Phnom Penh, and the now destroyed White Building, it forms part of the architectural jewels bequeathed to the nation by master architect Vann Molyvann.

Vann Molyvann was at the vanguard of Cambodian architecture in the 1960s, which was dubbed New Khmer Architecture. Born in Ream, Vann Molyvann was educated at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. Sadly he died in 2017 at the age of 90.

Olympic Stadium Events

The Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh plays host to a variety of Cambodia’s sporting activities and events. You’ll find the stadium to be at its most vibrant when the Cambodian national football team is playing. The atmosphere at games can be electrifying as the stadium fills to capacity with a young and loyal following of football fans. Capacity stands at around 70,000 people. Other facilities include tennis courts and a large outdoor public swimming pool.

The stadium has also been used to host concerts. Perhaps the most famous was in 2007 when Ronan Keating performed a concert in the Indoor Arena. This was the first concert by a major international performer held in the Kingdom.

When to Visit the Olympic Stadium?

The best time to visit is during the early morning or late evening when you will find local residents using the stadium’s grounds for exercise.