Forum: Rush for football tickets shows mid-tier stadium is needed
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With sports becoming an integral part of our society and its foreseeable role as a mainstay in fostering national identity and unity, our infrastructure must evolve to keep up with this growing passion. While the National Stadium is a world-class venue, its unavailability due to a schedule change and bookings for concerts during the Asean Championship semi-finals emphasises the limitations of relying on a single large venue.
The recent rush for tickets to the Singapore-Vietnam clash at Jalan Besar Stadium, with fans queueing overnight, brings back memories of the nation’s football fever days ( Football fever returns: Asean Cup semi-final tickets for Singapore-Vietnam game sell out
To position Singapore as a true sporting city, we should consider building a secondary stadium with a capacity of 20,000 to 30,000. This facility could act as a mid-tier venue, hosting regional tournaments, concerts and community events. It would also serve as a fallback for larger events when the National Stadium is unavailable.
A second stadium would not only boost our ability to host international events but also nurture a stronger sense of national pride in sports, ensuring the nation stays ready to embrace the future of sports.
Gabriel Chia
