Football Association of Singapore

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is the governing body responsible for the administration of football in Singapore. Established in 1892 as the Singapore Football Association (SFA), it is the oldest football association in all of Asia.[1][2] The FAS is also one of the founding members of both the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). It has been affiliated with FIFA since 1952.

This article is about the governing body of Singapore football. For the former Singapore team which competed in domestic football competitions from 1921 to 1994, see Singapore FA.

Football Association of Singapore
AFC
Founded29 August 1892 (1892-08-29)
Headquarters100 Tyrwhitt Rd, Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore 207542
FIFA affiliation1952 (1952)
AFC affiliation1954 (1954)
AFF affiliation1984 (1984)
PresidentBernard Tan (interim)
General SecretarySee Long Lee
Websitewww.fas.org.sg

The FAS oversees the organisation and development of football and advancing the game at all levels in Singapore, and is responsible for all aspects of the amateur and professional game in its territory. This includes its flagship domestic league, the Singapore Premier League (SPL), as well as the men's, women's and youth national football teams. The FAS is headquartered at the Jalan Besar Stadium, located at Kallang.

The FAS also manages the organisation and running of league and cup competitions, the stewardship of international teams, the establishment of youth development, women's football, refereeing and coaching frameworks.[3]

History

The association was also previously known as the Singapore Amateur Football Association (abbreviation: SAFA) on 14 May 1929 before adopting its current name on 13 January 1966.[4]

The FAS council was first appointed by the government in 1968, and has been controlled continually by government appointees for more than three decades from the 1980s to 2015.[5][6][7] From 2004 to 2015, its president had been an elected member of the ruling People's Action Party, and was appointed by the Minister for Sports.[8][9]

In 2015, FIFA requested an end to political appointments of the national body's council members.[9][10] FAS therefore changed its constitution in 2016 and held general elections for its council members starting from 2017.[8][9][11][12] In response, the FAS also stated that "We have always been in consultation with FIFA over the last 30 years. They are aware of the uniqueness of our situation, and have always given us special dispensation."[13]

As a result in the change of constitution, FAS, on the request of FIFA and its past presidents, held its first election for the FAS council.[9] The election was contested by two teams led by Lim Kia Tong, FAS provisional council president, and Bill Ng, chairman of Hougang United and NFL side, Tiong Bahru FC.[14][15] The election was held on 29 April 2017[16] and Lim won the elections.[17]

Youth Development Programmes

National Football Academy

The National Football Academy, commonly referred to as NFA, is a football academy launched by the FAS on 13 August 2000 with the aim of developing Singapore's most promising young footballers. Trainees are scouted through a systematic talent identification process before being given the chance to develop their skills under some of the best youth coaches in the country. With teams at every age level from U-14 to U-18, the NFA co-ordinates the development of young Singaporean footballers at a national level through the domestic league system, international youth tournaments as well as overseas training attachments.

The NFA Under-18 team is made up of promising Singaporean players under the age of 18 and serves as a feeder squad mainly to the Young Lions as well as other clubs in the Singapore Premier League. The FAS enters both the NFA Blues U-17 and NFA Reds U-18 teams in the Prime League, the official reserve league of the Singapore Premier League, to allow their players to gain more exposure and match experience by playing against older and more established players. The NFA U-15 and U-16 teams also participate in the annual Lion City Cup organised by the FAS since 2011.

The NFA has produced many graduates who went on to represent the Singapore national team.

The FAS focuses on football development and operates national age group programmes with U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-23 teams (known as Young Lions, who compete in the country's professional Singapore Premier League).[3]

All Singapore Premier League clubs have also fully implemented their own programmes for the Under-14s, adding on to the existing U-16s and U-18s program.[3]

Unleash The Roar!

On 9 March 2021, Singapore launched a national football project called Unleash the Roar!, in line with the goal set by the FAS to qualify for the 2034 FIFA World Cup which garnered both praise and criticism from the football fraternity that failed the Goal 2010 project that was first mooted in 1998. Since the start of the project, a total of 12 school football academies have been established, of which two have dedicated programmes for girls. Unleash the Roar! aims to rally Singaporeans, inspire the next generation to create a safe, disciplined and professional sporting ecosystem. This project will provide talented Singaporeans a shot at a professional career at the highest levels of the sport and raise the bar for Singapore’s national football teams. This vision of Unleash the Roar! is based on involvement of government agencies including the Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY) and the Ministry of Education (MOE), alongside SportSG, FAS, the football fraternity, corporate Singapore, and Singaporeans.

The project will spark a progression in Singapore’s football ecosystem with clear pathways. This includes increasing children and youth football participation in schools, scouting and development of talented players, enhancing knowledge and skill sets of coaches, and strengthening local professional football league. Players can also look forward to opportunities for training at top football academies as well as subsequently plying their trade at top leagues around the world.

In 2023, Singapore's top footballers aged 13 to 17 to form national youth squads will train at new national football development centre in Kallang

Investments

During the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September 2016, it was revealed that organising expenses on grassroots competitions like the National Football League (NFL), Island Wide League (IWL) and FA Cup amounted to about $70,000 during the previous financial year from April 2015 to March 2016. This figure which represented a mere 0.2 per cent of the FAS' total annual budget of S$35.8 million sparked disapproval within the local football community with many perceiving it as FAS's lack of regard for grassroots football.[18]

In a press conference on 13 October 2016, FAS vice-president Bernard Tan clarified that the amount did not include prize money and participation fees contributed by the teams counted under the domestic league account.[19]

Funding

In early April 2017, Bill Ng, chairman of SPL club Hougang United and NFL club Tiong Bahru Football Club (TBFC), claimed that he had donated S$850,000 to the FAS with the intention of helping Singapore football, but that the money had gone to the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) instead.[20] The allegations came in the prelude to the first open election of the FAS council.[21]

FAS secretary Winston Lee responded that Ng was aware of where the funds were used, that $200,000 went to the former LionsXII, while $500,000 was used to support the AFF's Football Management System.[22][23] Lee said that it was former FAS president Zainudin Nordin who asked Ng to donate to the AFF, while Ng disputed the claim.[24][25] FAS responded with a statement that Ng's allegations of financial impropriety within FAS to damage the credibility of the association was regrettable, and it was unusual that Ng had chosen to hide Zainudin's role in the transaction.[26]

On 20 April 2017, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) raided the FAS headquarters over alleged financial misuse of funds filed by Sport Singapore (formerly known as the Singapore Sports Council). Zainudin Nordin, Winston Lee, Bill Ng and his wife Bonnie Wong, were all arrested before being subsequently released on bail. The four assisted with the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) with the probe into the alleged misuse of funds and obstruction of club audits of TBFC.[27][28][29] In September 2021, the CAD in accordance with the Attorney-General announced that they had concluded their investigations and that the individuals involved will not face charges.[30]

Former presidents

Council members
Name Position Source
Singapore Blardy Riduqrous Tan Kek Kiang Deputy President [51]
Singapore Thavaneson Selvaratnam Vice President [51]
Singapore Teo Hock Seng Member [51]
Singapore Razali Bin Md Sa’ad Member [51]
Singapore Ben Teng Kian Jen Member [51]
Singapore Dr Dinesh Nair Member [51]
Singapore Lionel Lewis Member [51]
Singapore Goh Tat Chuan Member [51]
Singapore Teo Chwee Lian Julie Member [51]
Singapore Harman Bin Ali Member [51]
Singapore Lim Tong Hai Member [51]
Singapore Mohammad Darwin Bin Jalil Member [51]
Singapore Muhamed Rizal Bin Rasudin Member [51]
Singapore Muhammad Zaki Bin Ma’arof Member [51]
Singapore Mr Desmond Ong Member (co-opted) [51]
Singapore Yazeen Buharim General Secretary [51]
Singapore Lelaina Lim Treasurer [51]

FAS Tournaments

FAS Affiliates 2023

Singapore Premier League Clubs

FAS National Football League Clubs

Singapore M-League/M-Cup Team (The Lions)
Main article: Singapore Lions

Former national players

Notable Former National Players – Singapore National Football Team

Notable Singapore referee

List of Singaporean referee that makes headlines overseas being involved in either FIFA or AFC tournaments:

Singaporean players that joined Overseas club

List of Singaporean players that plays in overseas countries:

  • Trials and transfer rumours doesn't count
  • Players that play in LionsXII previously doesn't count
  • Youth career doesn't count
  • In bold mean is currently playing overseas
Country Players Club League Years in the league
Australia Australia Safuwan Baharudin Melbourne City A-League 2015
Belgium Belgium Ilhan Fandi K.M.S.K. Deinze Challenger Pro League 2022–present
Brazil Brazil Egmar Gonçalves Desportiva Ferroviária Campeonato Capixaba 2007
Cambodia Cambodia Delwinder Singh Angkor Tiger Cambodian Premier League 2023–present
Chile Chile Irfan Fandi Universidad Católica Chilean Primera División 2014–2015
India India Iqbal Hussain Chennai City I-League 2020–2021
John Wilkinson Salgaocar 2013
Precious Emuejeraye Churchill Brothers SC 2017–2018
Greece Greece Fandi Ahmad OFI Crete Alpha Ethniki 1990
Indonesia Indonesia Fandi Ahmad Niac Mitra Galatama 1982–1983
Agu Casmir Persija Jakarta, Persebaya Bhayangkara Indonesia Super League 2010–2011, 2013
Baihakki Khaizan Persija Jakarta, Persib Bandung, Medan Chiefs 2009–2012
Fahrudin Mustafić Persija Jakarta, Persela Lamongan 2009–2011
Khairul Amri Persiba Balikpapan 2010–2011
Noh Alam Shah Arema, Persib Bandung, PSS Sleman 2009–2012, 2013
Shahril Ishak Persib Bandung, Medan Chiefs 2011–2012
Precious Emuejeraye Sriwijaya, Persija Jakarta, Persiba Balikpapan,

Persidafon Dafonsoro

 Indonesia Super League, Liga 3 2009–2013
Ridhuan Muhammad Arema, Putra Samarinda, Borneo FC Indonesia Super League, Liga 1 2009−2014, 2018
Ahmad Latiff Persikabo Bogor Liga 3 2000–2001
Itimi Dickson Persitara Jakarta Utara, Persidafon Dafonsoro 2007–2009,

2011– 2012

Jacob Mahler Madura United Liga 1 2023–present
Song Ui-young Persebaya Surabaya 2023–present
Japan Japan Anders Aplin Matsumoto Yamaga J2 League 2018
Malaysia Malaysia Fandi Ahmad Kuala Lumpur FA, Pahang FA, Liga Malaysia, Liga Semi-Pro 1986–1989,

1991–1992

V. Sundramoorthy Kedah FA, Pahang FA, Kelantan Liga Semi-Pro 1989–1990, 1994
Aide Iskandar Johor FA Malaysian Super League 2006–2007
Ahmad Latiff Johor FA, PDRM 2006–2007,

2007–2008

Agu Casmir PDRM 2008
Noh Alam Shah
Yasir Hanapi 2017
Anumanthan Kumar Kedah Darul Aman 2021
Faris Ramli PKNS, Perlis FA, Terengganu 2018–2019, 2020
Fazrul Nawaz Sabah FA 2015
Hariss Harun Johor Darul Ta'zim 2014–2021
Khairul Amri Felda United 2019–2020
Madhu Mohana Negeri Sembilan 2018
Sahil Suhaimi Sarawak FA 2017
Safuwan Baharudin PDRM FA, Pahang FA, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan 2016–present
Shahdan Sulaiman Melaka United 2018
Shakir Hamzah Kedah Darul Aman, Perak 2019–2021
Baihakki Khaizan Johor Darul Ta'zim II Malaysia Premier League 2014
Shahril Ishak 2013–2016
Hafiz Abu Sujad 2018
Precious Emuejeraye Putrajaya SPA 2015–2016
Netherlands Netherlands Fandi Ahmad FC Groningen Eredivisie 1983–1985
Switzerland Switzerland V. Sundramoorthy FC Basel, BSC Old Boys Swiss Super League 1987–1989
Thailand Thailand Baihakki Khaizan Muangthong United, Udon Thani, Trat,

PT Prachuap

 Thai League 1, Thai League 2 2018–2020
Hassan Sunny Army United Thai League 1, Thai League 2 2015–2016, 2018–2019
Zulfahmi Arifin Chonburi, Suphanburi, Samut Prakan City,

Sukhothai

 2018, 2020–2021
Gabriel Quak Royal Thai Navy Thai League 1 2017
Irfan Fandi BG Pathum United 2019–present
Ikhsan Fandi 2022–present
John Wilkinson Insee Police United 2011
Song Ui-young Nongbua Pitchaya 2023
Izwan Mahbud Nongbua Pitchaya, Trat, Samut Prakan City Thai League 2, Thai League 1 2018–2021
Ryhan Stewart Chiangmai, BG Pathum United 2022–present
Hafiz Abu Sujad BBCU Thai League 2 2017
Norway Norway Ikhsan Fandi Raufoss IL, FK Jerv Norwegian First Division 2019–2021
Wales Wales Daniel Bennett Wrexham A.F.C. Football League Third Division 2002–2003

See also

Notes
  1. The FAS was under the management of the National Sports Promotion Board and later, the Singapore Sports Council.

References
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