Forum: Strong local core key to Singapore football’s progress
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We thank A. Thiyaga Raju for his letter advocating sustained investment in developing local talent for Singapore football’s progress (Developing local talent in Singapore football must complement selective naturalisation, July 16).
Developing a strong and sustainable pipeline of local talent remains central to our long-term strategy to uplift Singapore football.
Unleash the Roar! (UTR!), the national football project launched in 2021 and jointly led by Sport Excellence Singapore and the Football Association of Singapore, brings together stakeholders across the football ecosystem to identify talent early and provide structured pathways for players.
At the grassroots level, the ActiveSG Football Academy broadens football participation by giving children aged three to 16 opportunities to play football regularly alongside their peers at 17 centres islandwide.
It also serves as a first step in Singapore’s player development pathway, with promising players progressing to more competitive platforms like the Singapore Youth League (SYL).
The SYL gives aspiring youth players a platform to gain valuable match experience and hone their football skills. Since its launch in 2024, the SYL has grown from 3,800 participants to over 6,000 today. Boys and girls aged seven to 19 play an average of 30 competitive matches a year.
It also lets coaches and scouts identify promising players who may progress to the National Development Centre at the Kallang Football Hub, where they receive structured, high-performance training supported by coaches, sports scientists and physiotherapists.
UTR! also provides promising players and coaches with overseas development opportunities through initiatives like the UTR! Overseas Football Scholarship and the Coach Overseas Attachment in Japan, Europe and the United States. Several scholarship recipients have since represented Singapore at the national level, including six who were part of the women’s national football team that finished third at the AFF Women’s Cup 2026. Coaches who return from overseas attachments also strengthen Singapore football. Singapore’s qualification on merit for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup is an encouraging milestone.
Building a consistently competitive national team requires time, sustained investment and the collective efforts of stakeholders across the football ecosystem. We welcome the public’s continued support and engagement as we strengthen the local talent pipeline, raise standards throughout the ecosystem, and work towards the long-term, sustainable development of Singapore football.
Lenard Pattiselanno
Executive Director
Unleash The Roar!
