SINGAPORE - The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has confirmed that it will not offer refunds should Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan at the National Stadium be rescheduled due to the haze, but it also added that it is now considering reimbursing fans.
A statement on the Singapore Sports Hub's website said: "In the event that the match cannot proceed due to the current haze situation, the Football Association of Singapore has taken a decision that no refunds will be made in the event of match postponement and/or cancellation."
The match will be rescheduled if the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reaches 201 before the 8pm kick-off time.
An FAS spokesman said: "Should the Singapore vs Afghanistan match (on Oct 8) be rescheduled due to the persistent haze situation, fans who had purchased tickets are advised to retain the ticket stubs and produce them for re-entry to the rescheduled match.
"Similar to the terms and conditions of ticket sales for the national team's previous international matches, there is no refund if the match is rescheduled.
"In view of the present situation, we will discuss with our partners the possibility of granting a refund to the fans who are not able to attend the rescheduled match. We will make an announcement in due course."
For domestic S-League matches, a three-hour PSI reading of 150 will either trigger a postponement till the reading drops an hour later, or a postponement. Several matches have already been affected in this manner and ticket-holders were told to bring their tickets for entry on the rescheduled date.
Last weekend, the finals on Day 1 of the Fina Swimming World Cup at the OCBC Aquatic Centre were cancelled owing to the haze. But organisers said those who held tickets to that session on Saturday evening would be refunded.
In a statement issued on Wednesday night, the FAS said: "Should the air quality deteriorate into the 'Very Unhealthy' range closer to kick-off, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) match officials will assess the situation and decide on the most appropriate course of action.
"FAS is working closely with the AFC to provide the best possible conditions for the match to take place as scheduled and without compromising the safety and well-being of the fans, players, officials and volunteers which is of utmost importance to us.
"While we would put in place additional measures, including additional medical resources as part of our haze management plan, we strongly encourage those who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with medical conditions or respiratory ailments, to seek medical attention and/or rest at home."
It said it would continue to monitor the situation closely and urged fans to visit its official website and social media platforms from 5pm onwards on Thursday for regular updates on the status of the match.
The Lions are scheduled to host Afghanistan in the Group E match.Tickets are priced from $10 for a Category 2 concession ticket to $38 for an adult Category 1 seat.
