Cambodia stuns Thailand, earns historic SEA V Cup finals berth against Indonesia

Cambodia continued its remarkable rise in Southeast Asian men's volleyball after knocking off defending regional powerhouse Thailand to reach the championship match of the 2026 SEA V Cup first leg on Saturday at the Candon City Arena.

A year after going winless in its tournament debut, Cambodia completed a stunning turnaround by defeating the previously unbeaten Thais, 25-21, 16-25, 25-23, 25-17, in the semifinals to secure its first-ever finals appearance in the competition.

The Pool A runners-up will battle fellow Pool A squad Indonesia for the title on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Indonesia booked the other finals berth with a straight-set victory over Vietnam, 25-22, 25-20, 25-22, setting up an all-Pool A championship showdown in the tournament hosted by Candon City Mayor Eric Singson with support from the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Cambodia's breakthrough capped a dramatic improvement from its first SEA V.League campaign in 2025, where it lost all eight of its matches across two tournament legs.

"Last year, we were 0-8, and we learned from our mistakes. The most that we have changed is just our mentality. Tomorrow, we will fight again," said Cambodia star Voeurn Veasna.

Veasna led the upset victory with 21 points on 17 attacks, two blocks, and two service aces.

He was backed by strong contributions from his teammates, with Kuon Mom adding 13 points, Thy Menghuong scoring 12, Pin Sarun contributing 10, and Phol Ratanak finishing with eight.

Cambodia and Indonesia previously met in the Pool A stage on Thursday, with Indonesia claiming a 25-18, 25-18, 25-21 victory.

Thailand, which won the inaugural 2025 SEA V Cup first leg in Candon, received 20 points from Chaiwat Thungkam and 17 from Amornthep Khonhan in the semifinal defeat.

Indonesia remained unbeaten in the tournament after overcoming Vietnam, with Boy Arabi leading the way with 12 points and Farhan Halim adding 11. The Indonesians also advanced to the final without dropping a single set.

Nguyen Ngoc Thuan paced Vietnam with nine points in the loss.

Both finalists emerged from Pool A, which also included host Philippines side Alas Pilipinas, who finished the opening leg in fifth place.