Football in Singapore

The first football match in Singapore were between two teams of British engineers in 1889. The Singapore Amateur Football Association (SAFA), under its current name Football Association of Singapore, was formed in 1892 by a group of British in colonial Singapore.

In 2022, FAS announced that plans to implement video assistant referee (VAR) technology were started since late 2021 and VAR technology will be in use in the near future.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=David |date=2022-03-16 |title=Football: S'pore Premier League to implement video assistant referee in 'near future' |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-spore-premier-league-to-implement-video-assistant-referee-in-near-future |access-date=2024-08-16 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}} In 2023, FAS announced that VAR technology will be used by the SPL for the 2023 Singapore Premier League season.{{Cite news |last=Ang |first=Ervin |date=2023-01-27 |title=Football: S’pore Premier League to use VAR for 2023 season |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-s-pore-premier-league-to-use-var-for-2023-season |access-date=2024-08-16 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}

The Singapore Premier League is a professional league for men's football clubs in Singapore, governed by the Football Association of Singapore. The semi-professional FAS Premier League was replaced by the professional S.League in 1996 when Singapore FA left the Malaysia Cup in 1994, due to disputes with the Football Association of Malaysia.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20180201075642/http://www.sleague.com/Web/main.aspx?ID=f716b261-83ec-4f12-9c0f-c6705c44c556 About]}}. S.League (17 December 1994). Retrieved 15 August 2011. The league adopted its current name in 2018.

Although the SPL is the highest level of domestic football competition in Singapore, it fails to attract supporters, with the dwindling attendees to matches and television view ratings.[http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Sports/Story/A1Story20110525-280499.html S.League Must Improve]. Asiaone.com (25 May 2011). Retrieved 15 August 2011. The FAS has invited foreign clubs to participate in the league, in attempt to increase competitiveness and attract more fans. There is no promotion and relegation in the current Singapore football league system. The reserves team of the SPL clubs compete in the Prime League formed in 1997.

Since its inception in 1996, seven clubs have been crowned champions. Geylang United claim the first league title. Warriors FC hold the most with nine. In 2010, Étoile FC became the first foreign side to win the competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.sleague.com/competitions/s-league/overview|title=S.League overview|website=S.League|access-date=6 March 2014|archive-date=22 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822234311/http://www.sleague.com/competitions/s-league/overview|url-status=usurped}}

{{Main|Singapore Football League}}

The Singapore Football League, or more commonly known as the SFL is a semi-professional competition organised for football clubs which are affiliated with the Football Association of Singapore. FAS which was previously known as the Singapore Amateur Football Association, SAFA. It was the premier football league of Singapore until the FAS premier league was formed in 1988. The history of NFL can be traced back to as early as the early 20th century.

{{Main|Women's Premier League (Singapore)}}

The Women's Premier League is an amateur league for women's football clubs in Singapore, governed by the FAS.

{{Main|Singapore Youth League}}

In a boost for large-scale talent development and identification, Singapore Youth League (SYL) was officially launched on 6 February 2024. There will be six age-group categories – Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-13, Under-15, and Under-17 – under the new league system spanning across three divisions.

Goal 2010 was an objective, set by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1998, for the Singapore national team to reach the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.{{Cite news|title=Singapore launches national project to rebuild football foundation for future success|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-national-project-rebuild-football-foundation-future-success-122323336.html|access-date=2021-11-17|website=sg.news.yahoo.com|language=en-SG}} However, the goal was not met.

{{Blockquote|text="Look at the French World Cup football team. In the final against Brazil, I picked Zidane as the most outstanding French player. He is of Algerian descent. Of the 22-players, more than half did not look "French". They looked Argentinian, Armenian, Basque, Caribbean, Ghanaian, New Caledonian. Some were born in France, but of immigrant parents. Others are first generation French citizens. When they went up to receive their medals, President Chirac embraced all of them as Frenchmen. He sent a strong political signal for multi-racialism and against xenophobia: that in France, so long as you contribute to the French cause, it does not matter what colour your skin is or where you were born.

Last year I told you Singapore would never have a chance in the World Cup, because the rules require all players to be citizens. But after watching the French victory, I have changed my mind. Maybe if we change our immigration criteria to bring in top football talent and make them citizens, then one day we too can get into the finals. In fact we intend to do just this, to bring in sports talent."[http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/speeches/view-html?filename=1998082302.htm Prime Minister's National Day Rally Speech, 1998.] National Archives of Singapore. Retrieved 2017-08-17.|author=Goh Chok Tong|source=National Day Rally 1998 Speech|title=commenting further on GOAL 2010}}

{{main|Malaysia Cup}}

Joining the Malaysia Cup in 1921, known as the Malaya Cup at that time, Singapore were the champions of the inaugural competition. They would further succeed in getting 24 titles for themselves during their time in the competition from 1921 to 1994, a span of 74 years.

In this competition, and the Malaysia league, Singapore submitted a representative team, which operated like a football club more than a national football team. It was called the Singapore FA in the country's 74 years in Malaysian football. The competition helped bring the likes of Fandi Ahmad and Dollah Kassim, with the former being the only Singaporean to have played for European clubs – he played for FC Groningen and OFI Crete.

{{Main|Singapore national football team|Singapore women's national football team|Singapore national youth football team (disambiguation){{!}}Singapore national youth football team}}

The Football Association of Singapore organises the men's, women's and youth national football teams. The men's senior team is the second most successful team in the AFF Championship with 4 titles, winning in 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2012. The youth team claim bronze in the football event of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, and runners-up and second runners-up for the 23rd Lion City Cup.

File:Singapore (SG), National Stadium -- 2019 -- 4721.jpg]]

{{Main|National Stadium, Singapore|Jalan Besar Stadium}}

The former National Stadium was the home of the Singapore national team. The team moved to Jalan Besar Stadium after the former ground was demolished in 2011 for the multi-purpose sports complex Singapore Sports Hub. After its completion in 2014, the team concurrently uses both the new National Stadium and Jalan Besar Stadium as their home grounds.[http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100827-234228.html Singapore Sports Hub to open by April 2014]. Asiaone.com (27 August 2010). Retrieved 15 August 2011.

• Football Association of Singapore
• List of football clubs in Singapore
• Singapore football league system

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{{Sport in Singapore}}

{{League systems}}

{{Football in Asia}}