Fifa Asean Cup in September and October could disrupt Lions’ plans
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Singapore could play in back-to-back Asean tournaments this year after the Fifa Asean Cup was announced on March 20 to take place from September to October, following the Asean Championship which ends in August.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
- Fifa announced the inaugural Fifa Asean Cup for September-October 2026, potentially clashing with Singapore's 2027 Asian Cup preparations.
- FAS aims to arrange overseas training and matches against strong opponents for Singapore but awaits further details on the Asean Cup.
- The Asean Championship (July-August) may see stronger teams if the Fifa Asean Cup becomes a Fifa-sanctioned event during an international window.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – The Fifa Asean Cup could throw a spanner in the Lions’ preparation plans for the 2027 Asian Cup, after the world governing body announced on March 20 that the inaugural tournament featuring 11 South-east Asian nations is scheduled to take place from September to October.
Last November, Singapore’s national football team secured their maiden Asian Cup qualification with a 2-1 win against Hong Kong, and they play Bangladesh in their final Group C qualifier on March 31 at the National Stadium. The continental showpiece will be held in Saudi Arabia from Jan 7 to Feb 5 in 2027.
Having achieved the historic feat, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) wants the 148th-ranked Lions to play high-level opponents to prepare for the Asian Cup.
A friendly against the Faroe Islands in Dubai on March 26, which was cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, would have been Singapore’s first senior international match against a European team for over a decade.
The Straits Times understands that Lions head coach Gavin Lee and the FAS have been working on organising an overseas training camp and a series of tough opponents for the September to October window.
Those plans could be thrown into disarray by Fifa’s announcement, as South-east Asian football nations could also find themselves competing in back-to-back Asean tournaments in 2026.
Responding to ST’s queries, the FAS said that while it has not received formal communication on the competition, “we are encouraged by initiatives that strengthen the regional football ecosystem”.
“FAS supports efforts that contribute to the continued development of the game in the region and looks forward to learning more about the tournament in due course,” added its spokesman.
On March 20, Fifa said in a media statement following an online meeting that its council had “approved the introduction of the Fifa Asean Cup, first presented to the Asean Summit in Malaysia in October 2025 to positive reception, with the first edition planned for September to October 2026”.
No further details were provided, although this is the first update it has given since Fifa president Gianni Infantino announced the formation of the new tournament in Kuala Lumpur last October.
The Fifa Asean Cup is likely to fall in the new expanded international window from Sept 21 to Oct 6.
It is looking to be a packed calendar for regional teams, who will compete in the Asean Championship – known as the Asean Hyundai Cup – from July 24 to Aug 26.
Organised by the Asean Football Federation (AFF), the biennial tournament is widely seen as South-east Asia’s premier football competition.
Singapore will face defending champions Vietnam, powerhouses Indonesia, Cambodia and either Timor-Leste or Brunei in Group A. Record seven-time champions Thailand were drawn with Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Laos in Group B.
At present, the Asean Championship does not fall during an official Fifa international window, which means clubs are not obliged to release their players. During the 2024 edition, league competitions in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand continued, resulting in weakened squads for the key contenders.
A Fifa-sanctioned tournament would mean that clubs are required to release the players, if it falls during a Fifa international window.
The AFF did not respond to ST’s queries on the Asean Cup.
