Forum: Not all football pitches suitable for hosting SPL matches

We thank Mr Woon Wee Min for his letter “Playing SPL matches in more stadiums will engage fans better” (April 24).

Sport can bring people together and engender excitement among fans and our community. We agree that the Singapore Premier League (SPL) can bring a more vibrant atmosphere to our neighbourhoods, especially on match days. We encourage SPL clubs to consider how they can bring about more vibrancy in the stadiums and neighbourhoods they play in.

As the national governing body for sport in Singapore, Sport Singapore (SportSG) works closely with our national sports associations to develop their respective sports and support our high-performance athletes. For football, we partner the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) under the Unleash The Roar! national project to uplift the sport, including working towards a vibrant and sustainable SPL. 

The allocation of stadiums for SPL matches is based on several requirements, including stipulated pitch dimensions, demarcated play, technical and spectator viewing areas, separate dressing rooms for clubs and match officials, and competition-standard floodlights. The stadiums must also have video assistant referee and match broadcast capabilities. Hence, not all football pitches are suitable for hosting SPL matches.

SportSG will continue to advance our sport facilities master plan to meet the sporting needs and aspirations of the wider Singapore population, including SPL players. These include developing new infrastructure such as the upcoming Punggol Regional Sport Centre and Toa Payoh Integrated Development, and maintaining existing ones such as replacing the turf at Jurong East and Our Tampines Hub.

While works are ongoing at Our Tampines Hub, FAS has arranged for BG Tampines Rovers and Geylang International to play their home matches at Jalan Besar Stadium for the upcoming 2024-2025 SPL season. Both clubs will be returning to Our Tampines Hub stadium by the start of the 2025-2026 SPL season.

We will monitor pitch condition and maintenance efforts at Jalan Besar Stadium in regard to usage and weather patterns to ensure it remains conducive for players. We will also optimise our sporting spaces for various uses in land-scarce Singapore through initiatives such as the dual use scheme in which some schools share their sporting spaces with the community. 

Tanty Nazlianah

Deputy Director

Strategic Communications and Engagement

Sport Singapore