Singapore national football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Singapore national football team,[a] nicknamed The Lions, represents Singapore in the senior men's international football. It is organised by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), the governing body of football in Singapore, which is affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). The team's colours are red and white.[5] Singapore has one of the oldest national teams in Asia, with the FAS being the oldest football association in the continent itself.[6]

NicknameThe Lions
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationAFF (Southeast Asia)
Quick facts Nickname, Association ...
Singapore
NicknameThe Lions
AssociationFootball Association of Singapore (FAS)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationAFF (Southeast Asia)
Head coachGavin Lee
CaptainHariss Harun
Most capsHariss Harun (148)
Top scorerFandi Ahmad (55)[1]
Home stadiumNational Stadium
Jalan Besar Stadium
FIFA codeSGP
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 148 Decrease 1 (11 June 2026)[2]
Highest73 (August 1993)
Lowest173 (October 2017)
First international
 Singapore 1–0 China 
(Singapore; 22 May 1948)[3]
Biggest win
 Singapore 11–0 Laos 
(Kallang, Singapore; 15 January 2007)
Biggest defeat
 Singapore 0–9 Burma 
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 6 November 1969)[4]
Asian Cup
Appearances2 (first in 1984)
Best resultGroup stage (1984)
ASEAN Championship
Appearances14 (first in 1996)
Best resultChampions (1998, 2004, 2007, 2012)
Close

Despite the country having a small population pool, it has historically punched above its weight by successively producing squads that have fiercely competed with other squads from its larger and much more populated neighbours. This can be seen in its most significant successes, which have come in the regional AFF Championship, where Singapore has won four times in 1998, 2004, 2007, and 2012. Singapore was the first team to achieve this feat and the only team to win in all the finals that they had played. In 1998, Singapore defeated Vietnam in the final to obtain its first major international football title. In the 2004–05 competition, Singapore defeated Indonesia in a two-leg final 5–2 on aggregate. Singapore retained the trophy in 2007, beating Thailand 3–2 on aggregate in the final. In 2012, Singapore won the trophy a record 4th time, again defeating three-time champions Thailand 3–2 on aggregate in the final.

Singapore has also achieved notable results beyond its sub-confederation. In the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification, Singapore became the only team to beat Iraq where Iraq was en route to their AFC Asian Cup-winning campaign. Singapore also drew with China 0–0, 1–1, and 2–2 at home in 2006, 2009 and 2024 respectively. In March 2008, Australia also failed to beat Singapore when the game ended in a goalless draw. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Japan was held to a draw at home at the Saitama Stadium by Singapore, being the only game where they had dropped points in the group. Singapore also notably managed to get good results against UEFA continent against Kazakhstan on 24 December 2006 which resulted in a 0–0 draw and Azerbaijan which ended in a 2–2 draw on 24 February 2012. In 2025, Singapore secured qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup by finishing first in their third round group. The team went unbeaten throughout the stage and won all of their away matches.

History

Early history (1892–1994)

In 1892, the Singapore Amateur Football Association applied to become a registered society. The HMS Malaya Cup (which was later known as the Malaysia Cup) was launched in 1921 by officers of a British battleship in Malaya, and Singapore was one of the six teams that took part in the inaugural year, and won the event. While the representative side in the Malaysia Cup and the Malaysian League was not the national team per se – this team included some foreign players as it is more of a club side – many Singapore football fans viewed the Singapore Lions club side as being almost synonymous to the national team as well. They either won or were runners up in the event every year until 1941, after which it was suspended because of World War II.

Overall, Singapore won 24 Malaysia Cup titles and two Malaysian League titles. After winning the Malaysia Cup and league double in 1994, the Football Association of Singapore withdrew from the Malaysian competitions following a dispute with the Football Association of Malaysia over gate receipts. Singapore subsequently launched its own professional league, the S.League, in 1996, and also began to put much more focus on the performance of its national team in international competitions.

At that time, Singapore hosted their first and so far, its only international competition, the 1984 AFC Asian Cup. The team was eliminated from the group stage with four points, a 2–0 win over India and a 1–1 draw to giant Iran. In the FIFA World Rankings, Singapore's highest standing was in the first release of the figures, in August 1993, at 73rd.[7]

Rise of Singapore football (1995–2003)

Singapore won the bronze medal in the 1995 Southeast Asian Games,[8] after losing 0–1 in the semi-finals to the hosts and eventual gold medalists, Thailand.[9] Singapore hosted the inaugural AFF Championship (then known as Tiger Cup) in 1996 but were eliminated in the group stages.[10][11]

The national team again reached the semi-finals of the Southeast Asian Games in 1997, losing to Indonesia, and lost to Vietnam 0–1 in the third-place match.[12][13]

However, in the 1998 edition of the AFF Championship, Singapore's team led by coach Barry Whitbread won the group stage with victories over Malaysia and the Philippines. In the semi-finals, they beat Indonesia and subsequently edged out hosts Vietnam 1–0 in the final.[14] This was the country's first ever international title.[15]

Jan B. Poulsen, who was part of Denmark's backroom staff at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, was appointed the Technical Director of the Football Association of Singapore in 1999.[15] Due to poor results by Singapore in the 2000 AFF Championship, coach Vincent Subramaniam was sacked and Poulsen took over as coach in December 2000.[15] Singapore hosted the 2002 AFF Championship, but lost 0–4 to arch-rivals Malaysia in their first game. Before the game, local newspaper The New Paper was encouraging fans to turn up in numbers.[16] After the game, the Lions attributed their heavy defeat to the unexpected large crowd. Singapore went on to win 2–1 over Laos, but a 1–1 draw in the final group game against Thailand was not enough for them to reach the knock-out stages. Poulsen was sacked after the tournament.[15]

AFF Championship triumph (2004–2012)

Radojko Avramović, nicknamed 'Raddy' by Singaporeans, is Singapore's most decorated and longest serving coach from 2003 to 2012, winning the AFF Championship three times.
Singapore 2–0 Lebanon on 26 March 2008 at the Old Kallang National Stadium.

Radojko Avramović took over as coach of the flailing and deflated Singapore national football team in July 2003.[15] Singapore started the 2004 AFF Championship as underdogs but a 1–1 draw in their first game against hosts Vietnam, another draw against Indonesia, and wins against Cambodia and Laos saw them qualify for the semi-finals.

Singapore were drawn against Myanmar in the two-legged semi-finals. Singapore took a 4–3 away lead back home for the second leg. In the ill-tempered second leg, three Myanmar players were sent off and a reserve Myanmar goalkeeper even threw a water bottle at defender S. Subramani. Singapore went on to win 4–2 after extra time for an 8–5 aggregate victory.

Singapore then won the first leg of the two-legged final against Indonesia 3–1 in Jakarta, before winning 2–1 (5–2 on aggregate) in the second leg in front of a strong 55,000 home crowd at the former National Stadium.

In 2006, Avramović then led Singapore into the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers with a 2–0 victory at home over Iraq, but Singapore failed to build on this victory and then lost away to Palestine. The Singapore team then took on China away in Tianjin and lost to an injury time penalty. China travelled to Singapore for the second meeting and the Singapore defence held out for a 0–0 draw. A subsequent 2–4 loss to Iraq dashed Singapore's hopes of qualifying for the Asian Cup. The Asian Cup qualifying campaign ended with a default 3–0 victory over Palestine, who were unable to fulfil the fixture.

Singapore hosted the group stages of the 2007 AFF Championship. After a 0–0 draw with Vietnam, Singapore then thrashed Laos 11–0 to record their largest-ever win. In the final group match, Singapore knocked Indonesia out of the tournament in a 2–2 draw. Singapore met Malaysia in the semi-final. The first leg saw a 1–1 draw in Shah Alam, while in the second leg at Singapore's National Stadium, following another 1–1 draw, Singapore beat Malaysia in a penalty shoot-out 5–4, goalkeeper Lionel Lewis saving the final Malaysian spot kick from Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri. In the final against Thailand, Singapore won a controversial first leg at home 2–1, then secured a 1–1 draw in Bangkok thanks to a late strike from Khairul Amri to retain the AFF Championship trophy.[17] In the 2008 AFF Championship co-hosted by Indonesia and Thailand, Singapore was drawn in Group A to against Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia. Singapore progressed from the group as winners. However, they lost out to eventual winners Vietnam 0–1 on aggregate.

Singapore met Palestine in the first round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification. Singapore won the first leg 4–0 away in Doha, and the Palestinians again failed to fulfil the away fixture, so FIFA awarded Singapore a 3–0 win. Singapore was drawn with Tajikistan in the second round: Singapore won the home match 2–0 and drew the return leg 1–1 on 18 November to progress to the third round of the Asian Qualifying Tournament for the first time, where they were drawn against Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Uzbekistan. Singapore's group stage campaign began with a loss to Saudi Arabia, but the Lions then beat Lebanon 2–0 at home. Successive losses to Uzbekistan, 3–7 and 0–1, left Singapore with little chance of getting into the next round. Singapore were finally eliminated when they lost 0–2 to the Saudis at home. FIFA later awarded Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan both a 3–0 win, where they won 2–0 and 1–0 respectively, due to Singapore fielding Qiu Li, who is not eligible to represent Singapore.[18] Singapore finished third in the group with six points from six games after defeating Lebanon 2–1 in Beirut in their final game. With the elimination, Goal 2010For the 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification, Singapore was drawn in Group E, together with Iran, Thailand and Jordan. Singapore were beaten 0–6 by Iran in the first match, and then defeated Jordan 2–1. In November 2009, Singapore hosted Thailand at the National Stadium and lost 3–1, but won the return fixture 1–0 a few days later, earning Singapore their first victory on Thai soil in 48 years. Singapore next hosted Iran, losing 1–3, and the 1–2 defeat against Jordan which followed ended their hopes of Asian Cup football in 2011. The players reported some teammates were smoking during halftime in the match against Jordan.[citation needed] In 2010, Singapore drew with the Philippines 1–1, defeated Myanmar 2–1, then duly lost to Vietnam 0–1 in the knockout stage decider. As a result, the Singapore national football team was knocked out of the group stage in Hanoi. The Lions were criticised for their dismal performances in the AFF Championship, which they won in 1998, 2004, and 2007. In January 2011, the FAS decided to disband and revamp the national team. Six months later, The Lions were back in action after the dismal performances in 2010.

In May 2011, national team coach Avramović announced the new 33-strong national provisional squad for the upcoming international friendlies and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. The Lions were scheduled to play international friendlies against Maldives on 7 June 2011 and Laos on 18 July 2011. Few days after releasing the provisional 33-man squad, national team training started in preparation of the match against Maldives. Avramović led the new-look Lions in a game where Singapore won Maldives 4–0 at the Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore in a friendly match. (Note. The match was not an 'A' international because unlimited substitutions were allowed.) After the 4–0 win against Maldives, less than a week later before the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a final friendly was played against Chinese Taipei. Singapore won the match 3–2 with goals from Aleksandar Đurić, Shi Jiayi and Fazrul Nawaz. In preparation for the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the Lions played a friendly non-'A' match against Thailand before their opening qualifier against China. The friendly finished 0–0.

Singapore received a bye to the second round of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification in 2011 because of their accession to the third round of the qualifying in the previous World Cup. Their second round opponents were regional rivals Malaysia, whom they beat 5–3 in the first leg with goals from Aleksandar Đurić, Qiu Li, Mustafic Fahrudin and Shi Jiayi. The second leg was held at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil on 28 July 2011. A 1–1 draw thanks to a key Shi Jiayi goal in the second half was enough to put Singapore through to the third round of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In the preliminary draw in Brazil on 30 July 2011 by the football governing body FIFA, Singapore was drawn into Group A for their Round 3 of the Asian qualifiers with Jordan, Iraq and China. Singapore kicked off the third round with a 1–2 loss to China in Kunming. They then succumbed to a second defeat, 0–2, against Iraq. The next match was slated to be held at Jalan Besar Stadium on 11 October against Jordan which Singapore lost 0–3. A 0–2 defeat to Jordan in Amman killed off the Lions' chances of progress. Singapore ended the year with a 0–4 defeat at home to China PR, their 5th consecutive loss. Iraq then dealt the Singapore team a heavy 1–7 lost in Doha with Singapore bowing out with no wins. Singapore then played a friendly match against UEFA nation Azerbaijan which resulted in a 2–2 draw where Singapore was down with two goals before Shahril Ishak breaks the deadlock in the 70th minute. Shahdan Sulaiman would then score an equaliser at the last kick of the game in the 90+3rd minute stoppage time.

In the 2012 AFF Championship, Singapore started their tournament with a 3–0 win over close rivals Malaysia.[19] They then lost 0–1 to Indonesia before winning 4–3 in the knockout stage decider against Laos.[20] to top the group and qualify for the semi-finals which sees them face against the Philippines in the semi-finals, Singapore won 1–0 on aggregate with a solitary goal from Khairul Amri during the home leg of the semi-finals[21] was enough to set up a meeting with Thailand in the finals. The Lions won the first leg of the finals 3–1 in Singapore. Despite losing the away leg 0–1, Singapore was able to pick up the 2012 AFF Championship, their fourth championship. Singapore holds the record for the highest number of AFF Championship titles at that point of time.[22] Radojko Avramović ended his tenure as Singapore coach after the tournament.

Singapore squad during AFF Championship winning years

The usual starting line-up
1998 AFF Championship 2004 AFF Championship 2007 AFF Championship 2012 AFF Championship

Falling performances and drought (2013–2018)

FAS then hired the former legendary Singapore footballer, V. Sundramoorthy as head coach in 2013 ahead of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification, Singapore was drawn in Group A, together with Jordan, Syria and Oman. Singapore were beaten 0–4 by Jordan in the first match, and then loss to Jordan with a scoreline of 0–2. In October 2013, Singapore hosted Syria at the Jalan Besar Stadium and with their first win of the campaign with a 2–1 victory thanks to Gabriel Quak's late winner which was also his first international goal. But a month later, Syria beat Singapore in the return fixture 0–4. Singapore next hosted Jordan, losing 1–3, and the 1–3 defeat against Oman which followed ended their hopes of AFC Asian Cup football in 2015.

The FAS announced on 15 May 2013 that they had appointed German Bernd Stange as the new head coach of the national team.[23] On 27 May 2013, Stange announced his choice of 23 players for the friendlies against Myanmar and Laos on 4 June 2013 and 7 June 2013 respectively. The squad featured several new players who were called up to the national squad for the first time, including 17-year-old Adam Swandi. LionsXII midfielders Gabriel Quak and Faris Ramli and Tanjong Pagar United's winger Hafiz Nor also received their first national call-ups.[24] Veteran forward Indra Sahdan was also recalled to the national team. He took the captain's armband on 4 June 2013 for coach Stange's first game against Myanmar which Singapore won 2–0.[25] He also scored the first goal in the second friendly match against Laos, which saw Singapore with a 5–2 victory.[26] Following the two wins, Singapore's FIFA World Rankings rose nine places to 156 in July 2013.[7] On 15 October 2013, Stange registered his first international competition win in a 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification match against Syria with Gabriel Quak scoring a late goal to win the match 2–1 at the Jalan Besar Stadium. Stange had been trying to inculcate the one-touch, quick-tempo style of play for into the Singapore team, and gear the team up for the 2014 AFF Championship and try to retain the AFF Championship. Singapore entered the 2014 AFF Championship as the defending champions trying to defend the cup on home soil, but their title defence was spoiled with a 1–2 defeat over Thailand, which they also faced back in 2012. Then, they beat Myanmar 4–2 before bowing out after suffering a 1–3 defeat to rivals Malaysia. The Lions finished with 3 points and 3rd in Group B, and are the first team in the history of the AFF Championship to bow out from the group stage as the defending champions.

Singapore playing against Syria on 17 November 2015 during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Singapore then started their campaign with an away game against Cambodia on 11 June 2015 which ended 4–0 in favour of Singapore.[27] Following which, they travelled to Saitama Stadium in Japan where they held the hosts to a goalless draw.[28] However, they were defeated by Syria 0–1, at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat, Oman, marking their first loss in the group stages of the tournament.[29] The Lions then beat Afghanistan by a scoreline of 1–0 and their 2nd consecutive win against Cambodia, winning the game 2–1. However, the winning streak ended when they faced Japan at home, and were defeated 0–3. They then went on to face Syria, which was a tight game. Khribin of Syria scored on the 20th minute and were 0–1 up. Safuwan of Singapore scored a late equaliser on the 89th minute but Singapore could not hold on to the draw which ended Khribin again scoring on the 3rd minute of added time after the 90th minute, this resulted in a 1–2 loss to Singapore. Singapore played their final game against Afghanistan and were defeated 1–2. Singapore finished in third place in the table with a total points of 10.

In April 2016, a month after the match against Afghanistan, the FAS announced that Bernd Stange contract would not be renewed and he left the Singapore national football team.[30] After a few months of Stange's departure, FAS announced the new caretaker coach was to be then Tampines Rovers head coach V. Sundramoorthy.[31] Sundram's first major tournament was the 2016 AYA Bank Cup in June where the team won host Myanmar and went on to the finals against Vietnam. In that match, the two teams drew after 90 mins and went on to extra time where Singapore conceded 3 goals to clinch second. After a few months, Sundram and FAS arranged the long-awaited Causeway Challenge against Singapore's rival, Malaysia. In that match, Singapore created a lot of chances and dominated the game but was unfortunate to end the game with a 0–0 draw.

In 2016, Sundram also called up a few uncapped players like Syazwan Buhari, Khairulhin Khalid, Irfan Fandi, Abdil Qaiyyim, Shawal Anuar, Azhar Sairudin and Amy Recha. Many of which has at least one cap to their name. Although Hami Syahin was not called up for any matches, he was registered in the 40-man provisional squad for the 2016 AFF Championship. Sundram also recalled several players like Daniel Bennett, Mustafic Fahrudin, Zulfadli Zainal and Hafiz Nor. Ridhuan Muhammad was not recalled for any matches but was registered in the 40-man provisional squad for the 2016 AFF Championship. Sundram also gave chances to the two players, Shahfiq Ghani and Shahdan Sulaiman who both just recovered from long-term injuries to prove themselves. For the 2016 AFF Championship, Singapore was grouped with ASEAN giants, Thailand together with Indonesia and Philippines and was grouped in the "Group of Death" as the teams in this group were tough. Singapore then started their tournament with a 0–0 draw over Philippines. They then lost 0–1 to Thailand where Thailand's Sarawut Masuk scored a late winner in the 89th minute. Singapore actually needed at least a draw with Indonesia and Thailand have to beat Philippines to qualify for the semi-finals. It was great news in the first half as Singapore was leading 1–0 but Singapore's defence went to sleep and conceded 2 late goals for Indonesia to qualify for the semi-finals. Singapore ended their 2016 AFF Championship at the bottom of the table.

Singapore started their 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification third round campaign against Bahrain on 28 March 2017. Singapore drew with Bahrain with a score-line of 0–0. In Singapore's next game, they went on to play against Chinese Taipei where they lost 1–2 at home with Singapore's vice-captain Hariss Harun scoring and Xavier Chen and Chen Chao-an scoring for the visitors. Singapore's head coach V. Sundramoorthy introduced a National Team Day where Mondays are for players who are called up for a short meeting and tactical training session in the pitch. In this call up, Sundram recalled players like Raihan Rahman.[32] Sundram also called up the uncapped Ho Wai Loon tas a standby player for matches against Afghanistan and Bahrain. Sundram also called up uncapped Muhaimin Suhaimi for the friendly against Myanmar, the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against Chinese Taipei and the friendly against Argentina.[33] They made history for not winning any match in a year, reaching the lowest FIFA ranking ever of 173rd placing. Singapore finished bottom of the group with 2 points, losing the final match 1–0 to secure home-and-away losses against Chinese Taipei on 26 March 2018.

Rebuilding (2019–2021)

On 7 March, 2019, Nazri Nasir was appointed as interim head coach of the Singapore national team[34] for the 2019 Airmarine Cup friendly tournament on 20 and 23 March.[35] With the team, he won the semi-final match against Malaysia 1–0[36] before losing in the final to Oman 4–5 on penalties, having tied 1–1 in normal time.[37]

On 30 May 2019, former Jurong Town player, Tatsuma Yoshida, was unveiled as the head coach of the national team.[38] Yoshida's first game in charge for the national team ended in a 4–3 victory against the Solomon Islands at the National Stadium. Singapore started off their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign at the Jalan Besar Stadium drawing 2–2 to Yemen and winning Palestine 2–1 on 5 September and 10 September respectively. The national team than travelled to Riyadh to face Saudi Arabia at the King Saud University Stadium. Singapore managed to grip on to their defence and prevented Saudi Arabia from scoring until Salem Al-Dawsari breaks the deadlock in the 83rd minute. Saudi Arabia then scored two more goals with Fahad Al-Muwallad and Saleh Al-Shehri. The Lions finished in fourth place just above Yemen, failing to qualify for the World Cup but qualified for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifying third round.

Yoshida then extended his contract in early 2021 to focus on the 2020 AFF Championship which the tournament was postponed and rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Singapore was then chosen to host the tournament in a centralized venue. Singapore started off their group stage campaign with a winning streak by beating Myanmar 3–0, Philippines 1–2 and Timor-Leste 2–0 before losing to eventual cup winners, Thailand 2–0 in the last group stage fixtures. With three wins, Singapore qualified for the semi-finals as runners-up which see them face Indonesia.

On 21 December in the first leg, Singapore and Indonesia contested in a 1–1 draw.[39] On the reverse fixture on 25 December, the match was tied at 2–2 which see the match going into extra time.[40] Safuwan Baharudin after collecting two yellow cards and Irfan Fandi who was deemed denying a goalscoring opportunity, were both sent off in normal time and Singapore played with nine players in extra time.[40] Indonesia went on to score two more goals in the first half of extra time.[40] In the second half, goalkeeper Hassan Sunny as sent off for a last man challenge on Irfan Jaya.[40][41] As Singapore had used all its substitution, Ikhsan Fandi took over as goalkeeper for the remainder of the match.[41] The matched ended for a 4–2 win (5–3 on aggregate) for Indonesia.[40]

n 28 December, Yoshida ended his stint as a head coach by mutual agreement citing family reasons.[42]

Stagnation period (2022–2024)

Nazri Nasri was appointed as the interim coach and oversaw Singapore's participation in the 2022 FAS Tri-Nations Series consisting of Malaysia and Philippines at the National Stadium. In his first game on 26 March 2022, Ikhsan Fandi scored two goals which saw Singapore winning against, Malaysia 2–1 and three days later, a 2–0 victory against the Philippines.

On 25 April 2022, FAS announced the appointment of Takayuki Nishigaya as the new head coach of Singapore. Nishigaya took charge of his first game playing in a friendly match against Kuwait in a 2–0 loss at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Singapore started off their 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifying third round playing in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan losing to Kyrgyzstan 2–1 after Song Ui-young scored the first goal for Singapore but gave away a penalty minutes later. Singapore then went on to narrowly lose to Tajikistan 0–1 and despite winning their last group fixture against Myanmar 6–2, they were eliminated from Asian Cup qualification.

In October 2023, Singapore started off their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification in the first round against Guam on 13 October. The first leg took place at the National Stadium, which saw a total number of 10,355 spectators in attendance as Singapore gained the upper hand with a 2–1 victory with goals from Christopher van Huizen and Jacob Mahler. However, the fans weren't too satisfied with the performances as Singapore missed a lot of scoring opportunities sorely, lacking the composure in front of goal with the advantages of playing at home. The team then travelled to Dededo facing Guam in the second leg on 17 October at the GFA National Training Center where Shawal Anuar scored the only goal in the match securing the win. Singapore then advance to the second round being grouped with Asian powerhouse South Korea, China and Southeast Asia rivals, Thailand.

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match on 21 March 2024, Singapore under new head coach Tsutomu Ogura, played at home to China, where they trailed 2–0 with Wu Lei scoring both goals, before Faris Ramli and Jacob Mahler secured the comeback to upset the visitors and hold them to a 2–2 draw. In the away fixture in Tianjin, immediately after conceding a goal to China, Hariss Harun punted a long ball to Ryhan Stewart, who then crossed the ball into the opponent box, providing it to Faris Ramli, who scored the header, equalising the match 8 seconds after kick-off. However, Singapore ultimately fell to a 4–1 defeat to China.

On 6 June 2024, Singapore was hammered 7–0 by South Korea at the National Stadium, which saw Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in scoring a brace, with Hwang Hee-chan also scoring a goal in the match.[43] Five days later, Singapore ended their World Cup qualification campaign with a 3–1 away loss to Thailand to end their run in bottom, but it was notable as Singapore's valiant performance, notably with goalkeeper Hassan Sunny making 13 saves and Ikhsan Fandi's equaliser, proved to have made the difference as Thailand's victory was not enough to seize the second place from China, which progressed via superior head-to-head record.

Singapore was then grouped alongside Hong Kong, India and Bangladesh in the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification. Singapore then played a goalless draw at home against Hong Kong on 25 March 2025. Needing a win, Singapore then played against Bangladesh in Dhaka where the Lions managed to grab a 2–1 away win.

Resurgence era (2025–present)

On 24 June 2025, Ogura stepped down as the national team head coach, due to personal reasons. His role was temporarily taken over by Gavin Lee on interim basis.[44]

Return to the AFC Asian Cup

In October 2025, Singapore completed their remaining AFC Asian Cup qualification matches against India, drawing 1–1 at home before securing a 1–2 victory thanks to a double from Song Ui-young in the return fixture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa.[45] On 18 November, Singapore met Hong Kong needing a win to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. After initially being a goal down, Coach Gavin Lee introduced Ilhan Fandi in the 57th minute. Ilhan subsequently set up Shawal Anuar in the 64th minute to equalise as well as scoring from outside the penalty area with his weaker foot four minutes later. The match ended in a 1–2 away victory for Singapore at the Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon. This marked the first time that Singapore had qualified for the AFC Asian Cup through a full qualification campaign on merit and their first appearance at the tournament since 1984.[46]

On 28 November, the FAS announced interim coach Lee as the new head coach of the Singapore national team.[47]

On the final fixtures of the qualification match in the group stage, Singapore faced off against Bangladesh in front of 30,105 spectators where Harhys Stewart scored the only goal in the match to secure a 1–0 win. Singapore managed to finished the qualifiers being undefeated with 4 wins and 2 draws.[citation needed]

Team image

Kits and crest

There have been different suppliers for the jerseys, from Admiral, Puma, Umbro, Grand Sport to Tiger. Since 2008, Nike has been the supplier for the national team.

Singapore had initially worn blue shirts and shorts as their home kit. However, in the late 1980s, The Lions adopted the national colours of red and white for their home kit while they kept blue as the colour for the away kit. This tradition stayed on through the 1990s. For the 2007 AFF Championship, the national team's colours reverted to blue as its home kit and white as the other kit.[48]

Before 2006, Singapore had been using the same kit for nearly 5 years, supplied by Tiger who had a tie-in with Diadora. The kit used during the 2007 AFF Championship made its final appearance on 4 February 2007 against Thailand. The next kit was first used on 24 June 2007 against DPR Korea. The jersey has white trims at the edge of the sleeves and around the neck. Unlike most national teams which use the country's footballing association as a logo on the kit, the national flag of Singapore takes up the spot on the left chest instead while a white Nike logo is on the right chest and this symmetry also applies to the away jersey. The numbering and lettering font and colour is the same as the previous two home jerseys.

In 2008, tight-fit jerseys were revealed in the two traditional team colours: red for the home games and blue for the away matches. The kit was worn for the first time by the national team in the international friendly against Australia in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier home game against Lebanon on 26 March 2008.[49]

In November 2010, Nike launched a new football kit for Singapore, specially made for the 2010 AFF Championship. The home kit's design was of half dark red and light red. The away kit features half navy blue and light blue that was once worn by Singapore football team in 1970's era. In recent years, the national team kits would often also include the FAS logo, either exclusively or along with the Singapore flag.

In 2020, Singapore revert to using FAS logo on the national jersey for the first time since 1998. However, this earned backlash from fans demanding to retain the Singaporean flag on the national jersey. The 2022 jerseys were then included the Singaporean flag sitting on top of the FAS logo but still earned the negative outlash from fans stating that the flag deserve to be bigger. The national kit were worn for the first time during the team's friendly against Maldives on 17 December 2022, which they won 3–1. This is also the team's jersey for the 2022 AFF Championship.[50]

More information Kit supplier, Period ...
Kit supplier Period
England Admiral 1954–1973
Germany Puma 1974–1990
England Umbro 1991–1992
Germany Puma 1993–1997
Thailand Grand Sport 1998–2000
Singapore Tiger (Collaboration with Diadora) 2001–2006
United States Nike 2007–present
Close

Home stadium

From 1932 until the National Stadium was opened in 1973, Jalan Besar Stadium hosted all home games of Singapore's representative sides which participated in the Malaysia Cup. Since then, all of Singapore's home games in the Malaysia Cup and the national team home matches were played at the National Stadium.

However, the National Stadium was slated for demolishment in 2010 to make way for the new Singapore Sports Hub which was completed in 2014. Singapore played Australia in what was planned to be the last game ever to be played at that stadium. However, due to some delays caused by the addition of new plans for the Singapore Sports Hub, the National Stadium continued to host 5 more matches, and it was also the venue for two more 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. While the stadium was being rebuilt as part of the new Sports Hub, the Singapore national team played its home games at the Jalan Besar Stadium, sharing it with the LionsXII and the Cubs (U15 and U16 teams).

Since the start of 2004, Singapore has played its home matches in 7 different stadiums all over Singapore.

More information Image, Stadium ...
Singapore national football team home stadiums
Image Stadium Capacity Location Last match
National Stadium 55,000 Kallang v   Bangladesh
(31 March 2026; 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Jalan Besar Stadium 6,000 Kallang v   Vietnam
(26 December 2024; 2024 ASEAN Championship)
Bishan Stadium 6,254 Bishan v   Maldives
(5 June 2025; Friendly)
Choa Chu Kang Stadium 4,268 Choa Chu Kang v   India
(16 October 2012; Friendly)
Jurong West Stadium 4,600 Jurong West v   Pakistan
(19 November 2012; Friendly)
Jurong East Stadium 2,700 Jurong East v   Brunei
(6 June 2015; Friendly)
Hougang Stadium 3,800 Hougang v   Hong Kong
(9 September 2014; Friendly)
Yishun Stadium 3,400 Yishun v   Cambodia
(17 November 2014; Friendly)
Close

Supporters

"SingaBrigade" is the name of the main supporters group for the national team in Singapore, which consists of die-hard Singapore football fans. They are known for their high fanaticism and support towards the national team. In every international match the national team played, they are found as a group standing at the supporters area of Section 130. The main colours for these supporter are usually in red with a scarf and banners just like the national team kits colours. These supporters always bring drums and large national flags to the stadiums. Since 2023, the numbers of home attendance rise up where it sold 29,644 tickets during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) match against Thailand in November.

Rivalries

Singapore has rivalries with Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines and Myanmar. Their rivalries are rooted in geographical proximity.

More information Opponent, GP ...
Opponent GP W D L GF GA GD Win %
 Thailand 6711183867114−47016.42
 Indonesia 6018132976114−38030.00
 Vietnam 34512173758−21014.71
 Malaysia 8026223297121−24032.50
 Myanmar 39187147468+6046.15
 Philippines 2516455515+40064.00
Close

Singapore has rivalries with Malaysia known as the "Causeway Derby" or mononymously "Lions against Tigers". The Singapore-Malaysia derby used to be the highlight of the football calendar on both sides of the Causeway. When football fever for these two national teams was at its peak in the 1980s and early 1990s, queueing overnight for tickets was not uncommon where the rivalry lays dormant for a number of years. A group of Malaysian Ultras burnt signs of Singapore currency, and booed when Singapore's national anthem was played in the second leg at the Shah Alam Stadium in 2012. The spiteful nature of the discussions, peppered with obscenities and racist remarks, prompted concern in the football fraternities of both countries. After Singapore advanced to the third round of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, at the expense of Malaysia, beating them 6–4 on aggregate, an online war broke out among its supporters. Malaysian fans, incensed by what they felt was the Lions' time-wasting tactics during the second leg of the second-round qualifier in Kuala Lumpur, created a Facebook page mocking the Singapore national side. The spiteful nature of the discussions, peppered with obscenities and racist remarks, prompted concern in the football fraternities of both countries. Tensions ran high during the first leg in Singapore on 23 July 2011, when missiles from Malaysia's travelling fans rained down on the Jalan Besar Stadium field after the Lions' fourth goal. The return leg was even more ill-tempered. Water bottles were aimed at the Singapore players after the final whistle, while Lions goalkeeper, Izwan Mahbud was targeted by laser pointers during the game to distract him.[51]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2025

5 June Friendly Singapore  3–1  Maldives Bishan, Singapore
Report Ahmed Rizuvan 90+1' (pen.) Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Attendance: 2,297
Referee: Razlan Joffri Ali (Malaysia)
10 June 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Bangladesh  1–2  Singapore Dhaka, Bangladesh
19:00 UTC+6 Rakib Hossain 67' Report Report (AFC) Stadium: National Stadium
Attendance: 21,317
Referee: Clifford Daypuyat (Philippines)
4 September Friendly Malaysia  0–3
Awarded[b]
 Singapore Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
21:00 UTC+8 Report Stadium: Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Attendance: 22,329
Referee: Ngô Duy Lân (Vietnam)
9 September Friendly [c] Singapore  1–1  Myanmar Kallang, Singapore
21:00 UTC+8 Report
  • Thet Hein Soe 60'
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 0
9 October 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Singapore  1–1  India Kallang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+8 Report
Report (AFC)
Stadium: National Stadium
Attendance: 13,232
Referee: Shen Yinhao (China)
14 October 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification India  1–2  Singapore Margao, India
19:30 UTC+5:30 Report
Report (AFC)
Stadium: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Attendance: 2,036
Referee: Mohamad Issa (Lebanon)
13 November Friendly Thailand  3–2  Singapore Pathum Thani, Thailand
19:30 UTC+7 Report
Stadium: Thammasat Stadium
Attendance: 10,205
Referee: Hoàng Ngọc Hà (Vietnam)
18 November 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification Hong Kong  1–2  Singapore Kowloon, Hong Kong
20:00 UTC+8 Report Stadium: Kai Tak Sports Park
Attendance: 47,762
Referee: Sivakorn Pu-udom (Thailand)

2026

26 March Friendly Faroe Islands  Cancelled  Singapore Dubai, United Arab Emirates
17:00 UTC+4 Stadium: Rashid Stadium
Note: Match cancelled due to the 2026 Iran war[53]
31 May Friendly Singapore  4–0  Mongolia Kallang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+8
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 4,324
Referee: Kim Woo-sung (South Korea)
5 June Friendly Singapore  1–2  China Kallang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+8 Report Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 4,688
Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan)
Friendly Singapore  v Japan FC Ryukyu Okinawa, Japan
--:-- UTC+8
Friendly Singapore  v Japan Okinawa SV Okinawa, Japan
--:-- UTC+8
Friendly Singapore  v Japan Albirex Niigata Okinawa, Japan
--:-- UTC+8
31 July 2026 ASEAN Championship Vietnam  v  Singapore Vietnam
--:-- UTC+7
September FIFA ASEAN Cup Singapore  v
--:-- UTC+8
September FIFA ASEAN Cup Singapore  v
--:-- UTC+8
October FIFA ASEAN Cup Singapore  v
--:-- UTC+8
October FIFA ASEAN Cup Singapore  v
--:-- UTC+8
November Friendly Singapore  v
--:-- UTC+8
November Friendly Singapore  v
--:-- UTC+8

2027

9 January 2027 AFC Asian Cup Australia  v  Singapore Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: Aramco Stadium
14 January 2027 AFC Asian Cup Singapore  v  Tajikistan Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium
19 January 2027 AFC Asian Cup Iraq  v  Singapore Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: Aramco Stadium

Coaching staff

More information Position, Name ...
Position Name
Team managerSingapore Eric Ong
Head coachSingapore Gavin Lee
Assistant coach Japan Kosei Nakamura
Singapore Fahrudin Mustafić
Singapore Noh Rahman
Goalkeeper coachSingapore Rameshpal Singh
Individual coachSingapore Amirul Singh
Fitness CoachBosnia and Herzegovina Dževad Šarić
Match analystJapan Satoru Okada
Head football science and medicineMalaysia Firdaus Maasar
Senior tports trainerSingapore Nasruldin Baharuddin
Sports trainerSingapore Fazly Hasan
Singapore Ryan Wang
MasseurSingapore Gurnaya Singh
Sports scientistSingapore Faizal Khalid Abdul Aziz
Lead physiotherapistSingapore Nurhafizah Abu Sujad
Kit managerSingapore Omar Mohd
Media officerSingapore Chia Pui San
Close

Coaching history

Coaching statistics

The following table provides a summary of the Singapore national team under each coach. Includes both competitive and friendly matches.

As of 3 Dec 2025
More information Manager, Pld ...
Manager Singapore career Pld W D L Win % Achievements
Czechoslovakia Milouš Kvaček February 1992 – May 1992 0000!
Singapore P.N. Sivaji May 1992 – December 1993 0000! 1993 Southeast Asian Games – bronze
England Ken Worden January 1994 – March 1994 0000!
England Douglas Moore March 1994 – May 1995 0000!
England Barry Whitbread June 1995 – November 1998 311399041.9 1995 Southeast Asian Games – bronze
1998 AFF Championship – champions
Singapore Vincent Subramaniam December 1998 – December 2000 0000!
Denmark Jan Poulsen December 2000 – January 2003 0000!
Serbia Radojko Avramović July 2003 – December 2012 64241327037.5[91] 2004 AFF Championship – champions
2007 AFF Championship – champions
2012 AFF Championship – champions
Singapore V. Sundramoorthy January 2013 – May 2013 1001000.0
Germany Bernd Stange May 2013 – April 2016 3215314046.9
Singapore V. Sundramoorthy May 2016 – April 2018 233515013.0
Singapore Fandi Ahmad May 2018 – December 2018 8512062.5
Singapore Nazri Nasir March 2019 – June 2019 2110050.0
Japan Tatsuma Yoshida June 2019 – December 2021 19649031.6
Singapore Nazri Nasir (caretaker) March 2022 – April 2022 2200100.0
Japan Takayuki Nishigaya May 2022 – January 2024 21858038.1
Japan Tsutomu Ogura February 2024 – June 2025 16538031.3
Singapore Gavin Lee (interim) June 2025 – November 2025 6312050.0 2027 AFC Asian CupQualification
Singapore Gavin Lee November 2025 – present
Close

Players

Current squad

The following 24 players were called up for the centralised training camp as preparations ramp up for the ASEAN Championship Hyundai Cup 2026.[99]

Caps and goals are correct as of 31 May 2026, after the match against China.

More information No., Pos. ...
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Izwan Mahbud (1990-07-14) 14 July 1990 (age 35) 74 0 Football Association of Singapore Young Lions
12 1GK Syazwan Buhari (1992-09-22) 22 September 1992 (age 33) 4 0 Football Association of Singapore BG Tampines Rovers
30 1GK Rudy Khairullah (1994-07-19) 19 July 1994 (age 31) 0 0 Football Association of Singapore Geylang International

3 2DF Ryhan Stewart (2000-02-15) 15 February 2000 (age 26) 34 0 Football Association of Thailand Kanchanaburi Power
5 2DF Amirul Adli (1996-01-13) 13 January 1996 (age 30) 42 1 Football Association of Malaysia Negeri Sembilan
15 2DF Lionel Tan (1997-06-05) 5 June 1997 (age 29) 28 3 Football Association of Singapore Lion City Sailors
17 2DF Irfan Fandi (1997-08-13) 13 August 1997 (age 28) 52 2 Football Association of Thailand Port
31 2DF Irfan Najeeb (1999-07-31) 31 July 1999 (age 26) 15 1 Football Association of Singapore BG Tampines Rovers
32 2DF Nur Adam Abdullah (2001-04-13) 13 April 2001 (age 25) 13 0 Football Association of Singapore Lion City Sailors
35 2DF Raoul Suhaimi (2005-09-18) 18 September 2005 (age 20) 0 0 Football Association of Singapore BG Tampines Rovers
2DF Luth Harith (2008-03-19) 19 March 2008 (age 18) 0 0 Football Association of Singapore Young Lions

2 3MF Joel Chew (2000-02-09) 9 February 2000 (age 26) 9 0 Football Association of Singapore BG Tampines Rovers
6 3MF Kyoga Nakamura (1996-04-25) 25 April 1996 (age 30) 20 2 Football Association of Singapore Lion City Sailors
7 3MF Song Ui-young (1993-11-08) 8 November 1993 (age 32) 34 8 Football Association of Singapore Lion City Sailors
8 3MF Shah Shahiran (1999-11-14) 14 November 1999 (age 26) 41 1 Football Association of Singapore BG Tampines Rovers
10 3MF Farhan Zulkifli (2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 (age 23) 11 1 Football Association of Singapore Hougang United
11 3MF Glenn Kweh (2000-03-26) 26 March 2000 (age 26) 31 2 Football Association of Singapore BG Tampines Rovers
14 3MF Hariss Harun (captain) (1990-11-19) 19 November 1990 (age 35) 149 11 Football Association of Singapore Lion City Sailors
16 3MF Hami Syahin (1998-12-16) 16 December 1998 (age 27) 41 0 Football Association of Singapore Lion City Sailors
22 3MF Jacob Mahler (2000-04-10) 10 April 2000 (age 26) 17 3 Football Association of Singapore BG Tampines Rovers
27 3MF Saifullah Akbar (1999-01-31) 31 January 1999 (age 27) 5 0 Football Association of Singapore Hougang United

13 4FW Nathan Mao (2008-03-26) 26 March 2008 (age 18) 2 0 Football Association of Singapore Young Lions
19 4FW Ilhan Fandi (2002-11-08) 8 November 2002 (age 23) 25 6 Football Association of Thailand Buriram United
20 4FW Shawal Anuar (1991-04-29) 29 April 1991 (age 35) 52 19 Football Association of Singapore Lion City Sailors
Close

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Singapore squad within the last twelve months.

More information Pos., Player ...
Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
DF Safuwan Baharudin (1991-09-22) 22 September 1991 (age 34) 133 14 Malaysia Selangor v.  China, 31 Mar 2026
DF Zulqarnaen Suzliman (1998-03-29) 29 March 1998 (age 28) 27 0 Singapore Albirex Niigata (S) v.  China, 31 Mar 2026
DF Akram Azman (2000-11-21) 21 November 2000 (age 25) 3 0 Singapore Lion City Sailors v.  Bangladesh, 31 March 2026
DF Joshua Pereira (1997-10-10) 10 October 1997 (age 28) 6 0 Singapore Geylang International v.  Hong Kong, 18 November 2025
DF Nazrul Nazari (1991-02-11) 11 February 1991 (age 35) 68 0 Singapore Geylang International v.  Myanmar, 9 September 2025
DF Ryaan Sanizal (2002-05-31) 31 May 2002 (age 24) 3 0 Singapore Hougang United v.  Myanmar, 9 September 2025
DF Perry Ng (1996-04-27) 27 April 1996 (age 30) 0 0 Wales Cardiff City v.  Myanmar, 9 September 2025
DF Darren Teh (1996-08-19) 19 August 1996 (age 29) 3 0 Singapore Balestier Khalsa August 2025 Training Camp
DF Christopher van Huizen (1992-11-28) 28 November 1992 (age 33) 28 1 Singapore Lion City Sailors v.  Bangladesh, 10 June 2025

MF Harhys Stewart (2001-03-20) 20 March 2001 (age 25) 17 1 Thailand Uthai Thani v. China, 31 Mar 2026
MF Jared Gallagher (2002-01-18) 18 January 2002 (age 24) 0 0 Thailand Nakhon Ratchasima v.  Hong Kong, 18 November 2025
MF Jonan Tan (2006-06-27) 27 June 2006 (age 19) 0 0 Portugal Vizela v.  India, 14 October 2025
MF Ong Yu En (2003-10-03) 3 October 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Singapore Young Lions v.  India, 14 October 2025
MF Naqiuddin Eunos (1997-01-12) 12 January 1997 (age 29) 5 1 Singapore Tanjong Pagar United August 2025 Training Camp
MF Syed Firdaus Hassan (1998-05-30) 30 May 1998 (age 28) 1 0 Singapore Albirex Niigata (S) August 2025 Training Camp
MF Fairuz Fazli (2005-01-20) 20 January 2005 (age 21) 0 0 Singapore Young Lions v.  Hong Kong, 25 March 2025

FW Ikhsan Fandi (1999-04-09) 9 April 1999 (age 27) 49 23 Thailand BG Pathum United v.  China, 31 Mar 2026
FW Jordan Emaviwe (2001-04-09) 9 April 2001 (age 25) 11 0 Thailand Chiangrai United v.  China, 31 Mar 2026
FW Abdul Rasaq Akeem (2001-06-16) 16 June 2001 (age 25) 6 0 Singapore Albirex Niigata (S) v.  Bangladesh, 31 March 2026
FW Faris Ramli (1992-08-24) 24 August 1992 (age 33) 92 15 Singapore BG Tampines Rovers v.  Hong Kong, 18 November 2025
FW Taufik Suparno (1995-10-31) 31 October 1995 (age 30) 14 0 Singapore BG Tampines Rovers August 2025 Training Camp
FW Ignatius Ang (1992-11-11) 11 November 1992 (age 33) 0 0 Singapore Balestier Khalsa August 2025 Training Camp
FW Amir Syafiz (2004-06-21) 21 June 2004 (age 21) 2 0 Singapore Young Lions v.  Bangladesh, 10 June 2025

Notes:

  • COV Player out due to COVID / COVID warning
  • INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury
  • INV Player invite to join the squad for training
  • PRE Preliminary squad
  • STA Player on standby
  • SUS Player suspended
  • RET Retired from the national team
  • WD Player withdrew from the squad
Close

Player records

As of 19 November 2025[100]
Players in bold are still active with Singapore.

Most appearances

Hariss Harun is Singapore's most capped player, with 148 appearances.
More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Hariss Harun 148 7 2007-present
Daniel Bennett 146 11 2002-2017
3 Baihakki Khaizan 140 5 2003–2021
4 Shahril Ishak 138 15 2003–2018
5 Khairul Amri 135 32 2004–2019
6 Safuwan Baharudin 132 15 2010–present
7 Malek Awab 121 0 1980–1996
Aide Iskandar 121 0 1995–2007
9 Shunmugham Subramani 115 0 1996–2007
Hassan Sunny 115 0 2004–2024
Close
NB The list is incomplete as Samad Allapitchay and Dollah Kassim each, reportedly, have over a hundred caps - however exact figures are still being researched.

Top goalscorers

Fandi Ahmad at a charity game in 2017. He is Singapore's top goalscorer, with 55 goals.
More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Fandi Ahmad 55 101 0.54 1979–1997
2 Noh Alam Shah 34 82 0.41 2001–2010
3 Khairul Amri 32 135 0.24 2004–2019
4 Indra Sahdan Daud 30 113 0.27 1997–2013
5 Aleksandar Đurić 27 59 0.46 2007–2012
6 Ikhsan Fandi 23 48 0.48 2017–present
7 Varadaraju Sundramoorthy 20 48 0.42 1983–1995
8 Shawal Anuar 18 50 0.36 2016–present
9 Rafi Ali 16 76 0.22 1994–2004
10 Agu Casmir 15 45 0.33 2004–2012
Faris Ramli 15 92 0.16 2013–present
Shahril Ishak 15 144 0.1 2003–2018
Close

Statistics

Youngest capped player: Hariss Harun (16 years 7 months 5 days) vs North Korea North Korea, 24 June 2007

Oldest capped player: Aleksandar Đurić (42 years 4 months 10 days) vs Thailand Thailand, 22 December 2012

Youngest goalscorer: Jacob Mahler (18 years 6 months 6 days) vs Cambodia Cambodia, 16 October 2018

Oldest goalscorer: Aleksandar Đurić (42 years 3 months 13 days) vs Malaysia Malaysia, 25 November 2012

Most goals scored in a single match: Noh Alam Shah (7 goals) vs Laos Laos, 15 January 2007

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup

More information FIFA World Cup record, Qualification record ...
Close

AFC Asian Cup

More information AFC Asian Cup record, Qualification record ...
AFC Asian Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Hong Kong 1956 Withdrew Withdrew
South Korea 1960 Did not qualify 200239
Israel 1964 Withdrew Withdrew
Iran 1968 Did not qualify 4013210
Thailand 1972 Withdrew Withdrew
Iran 1976 Did not qualify 310273
Kuwait 1980 3003111
Singapore 1984 Group stage7th411234Squad Qualified as hosts
Qatar 1988 Withdrew Withdrew
Japan 1992 Did not qualify 301224
United Arab Emirates 1996 6330167
Lebanon 2000 320123
China 2004 8314811
Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Vietnam 2007 511346
Qatar 2011 6204615
Australia 2015 6105417
United Arab Emirates 2019 143381218
Qatar 2023 113171427
Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualified 9315825
Total Group stage 1/18 4 1 1 2 3 4 82 21 12 49 89 166
Close

ASEAN Championship

More information ASEAN Championship record, Year ...
ASEAN Championship record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
Singapore 1996 Group stage5th421172Squad
Vietnam 1998 Champions1st541092Squad
Thailand 2000 Group stage5th420242Squad
Indonesia Singapore 2002 6th311136Squad
Malaysia Vietnam 2004 Champions1st86202310Squad
Singapore Thailand 2007 1st7250186Squad
Indonesia Thailand 2008 Semi-finals3rd5311102Squad
Indonesia Vietnam 2010 Group stage5th311133Squad
Malaysia Thailand 2012 Champions1st7412116Squad
Singapore Vietnam 2014 Group stage6th310267Squad
Myanmar Philippines 2016 7th301213Squad
ASEAN 2018 6th420275Squad
Singapore 2020 Semi-finals4th6312108Squad
ASEAN 2022 Group stage5th421166Squad
ASEAN 2024 Semi-finals4th6213810Squad
Total 4 Titles 15/15 72 35 17 20 126 78
Close

Asian Games

More information Asian Games record, Year ...
Asian Games record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
India 1951 Did not enter
Philippines 1954 Group stage201127Squad
Japan 1958 200224Squad
Indonesia 1962 Did not enter
Thailand 1966 Fourth place72141115Squad
Thailand 1970 Did not enter
Iran 1974
Thailand 1978
India 1982
South Korea 1986
China 1990 Group stage3102713Squad
Japan 1994 Did not enter
Thailand 1998
Since 2002 See Singapore national under-23 football team
Total Fourth place 14 3 2 9 22 39
Close

Southeast Asian Games

More information Southeast Asian Games record, Year ...
Southeast Asian Games record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA
Thailand 1959 Did not enter
Myanmar 1961
Cambodia 1963 Cancelled
Malaysia 1965 Preliminary round200216
Thailand 1967 Did not enter
Myanmar 1969
Malaysia 1971 Group stage2002211
Singapore 1973 Fourth place412124
Thailand 1975 Bronze medalists302145
Malaysia 1977 Group stage200217
Indonesia 1979 411248
Philippines 1981 Fourth place411254
Singapore 1983 Silver medalists4301123
Thailand 1985 421164
Indonesia 1987 Group stage202000
Malaysia 1989 Silver medalists421174
Philippines 1991 Bronze medalists422041
Singapore 1993 5320165
Thailand 1995 6321115
Indonesia 1997 Fourth place622266
Brunei 1999 632185
Since 2001 See Singapore national under-23 football team
Total 3 Silver medals 62 23 20 19 89 78
Close

Head-to-head record

  More wins   Wins equal losses   More losses

As of 5 June 2026, after match against China [101].
More information Opponent, First ...
Opponent
First Last Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Confederation
 Afghanistan 2015 2021411245–1AFC
 Argentina 2017 2017100106–6CONMEBOL
 Australia 1967 20088017422–22AFC / OFC
 Azerbaijan 2012 20121010220UEFA
 Bahrain 1981 201710118518−13AFC
 Bangladesh 1973 2026632175+2AFC
 Brazil 2008 2008100103−3CONMEBOL
 Brunei 1975 2015241941711160AFC
 Cambodia 1957 2024201523411526AFC
 Canada 1986 1986200202−2CONCACAF
 China 1980 20262036131847−29AFC
 Chinese Taipei 2011 20245203990AFC
 Denmark 2010 2010100115–4UEFA
 Fiji 2018 20181100202OFC
 Finland 1997 1997100101–1UEFA
 Germany 1975 1975100114−3UEFA
 Ghana 1982 1982100103−3CAF
 Guam 2015 20233210251AFC
 Hong Kong 1958 20252679103035–5AFC
 India 1959 20251473420137AFC
 Indonesia 1958 20216018132976114−38AFC
 Iran 1984 20103012210−8AFC
 Iraq 1978 20126105522−15AFC
 Israel 1958 1958100112−1UEFA
 Japan 1959 20152832232167−46AFC
 Jordan 2002 20198116616−10AFC
 Kazakhstan 2006 20061010000UEFA
 North Korea 1975 2010112181020–10AFC
 South Korea 1953 202438233322117–95AFC
 Kuwait 1973 202210136618−12AFC
 Kyrgyzstan 2001 2022401336–3AFC
 Laos 1970 2022131111401030AFC
 Lebanon 1997 20175212651AFC
 Macau 2000 2023431062–4AFC
 Malaysia 1958 20258226223398123–25AFC
 Maldives 1996 2025770023518AFC
 Mauritius 2018 20181010110CAF
 Mongolia 2018 20262200606AFC
 Morocco 1970 1970100101−1CAF
 Myanmar 1985 2025411981478717AFC
   Nepal 1982 2025430112111AFC
 Netherlands 1984 1984100112–1UEFA
 New Zealand 1967 20017115613−7OFC
 Norway 1992 2004200226−4UEFA
 Oman 1988 201910118726−19AFC
 Pakistan 1981 2012430113211AFC
 Palestine 2003 202163221064AFC
 Papua New Guinea 2014 20233210642OFC
 Philippines 1962 2022251645551545AFC
 Poland 2010 2010100116−5UEFA
 Qatar 1984 2019131111530−25AFC
 Russia 1999 19991010110UEFA
 Saudi Arabia 1981 202111029326−23AFC
 Solomon Islands 2019 20232110541OFC
 Sri Lanka 1972 19793201963AFC
 Sweden 1979 1979100105–5UEFA
 Syria 1978 20166204711–4AFC
 Tajikistan 2007 2023411234-1AFC
 Thailand 1957 20257011184172124−51AFC
 Timor-Leste 2018 2024330011110AFC
 Turkmenistan 2009 20173210642AFC
 United Arab Emirates 1982 20076015615−11AFC
 Uruguay 2002 2002100112–1CONMEBOL
 Soviet Union 1974 1974200204−4UEFA
 Uzbekistan 2008 20214004416–12AFC
 Vietnam 1954 202434512193863–25AFC
 Yemen 2019 20192110431AFC
 Yugoslavia 1985 1985201113−2UEFA
Close
More information Opponent, Played ...
Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Goals for Goals against Goal difference % Won Confederation
All627184118325791110331229.34%FIFA
Close

Regional record

More information Opponents, Date ...
Last meet up against Southeast Asia countries
Opponents Date Score Outcome Match type
 Brunei 6 June 2015 5−1 Won Friendly
 Cambodia 11 December 2024 2−1 Won 2024 ASEAN Championship
 Indonesia 25 November 2021 2−4 Lost 2020 AFF Championship
 Laos 27 December 2022 2−0 Won 2022 AFF Championship
 Malaysia 4 September 2025 2−1(3-0 awarded to Singapore as the original result was forfeited due to Malaysia cheating by fielding ineligible foreign players) Won Friendly
 Myanmar 14 November 2024 3−2 Won Friendly
 Philippines 29 March 2022 2−0 Won 2022 FAS Tri-Nations Series
 Thailand 17 December 2024 2−4 Lost 2024 ASEAN Championship
 Timor-Leste 14 December 2024 3−0 Won 2024 ASEAN Championship
 Vietnam 29 December 2024 3-1 Lost 2024 ASEAN Championship
Close

Honours

Regional

Friendly

  • Tri-Nation Series (1): 2022

See also

Notes and references

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI