Lion City Sailors get provisional approval to host Asian Champions League 2 final at Bishan Stadium

SINGAPORE – The Lion City Sailors have been granted provisional approval to host the Asian Champions League Two (ACL 2) final against Sharjah FC of the United Arab Emirates at the Bishan Stadium, the Singapore Premier League (SPL) side announced in a media statement on April 23.

This is subject to a final inspection and formal approval by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in early May, ahead of the showpiece on May 18 (8pm).

In the statement, the Sailors added: “Over the next few weeks, the club will be working closely with Sport Singapore, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and sports industry experts to make the necessary upgrades and preparations to ensure the venue is match-ready for the big night on May 18.”

When pressed for details, a Sailors spokesman said the upgrades include enhancements to floodlights to meet TV broadcast requirements, significantly increasing the seating capacity and improvements to the natural grass pitch.

According to the 2021 edition of the AFC Stadium Regulations, a horizontal illuminance – the amount of light that falls on a horizontal surface – of 1,800 lux is required for the final of the AFC Cup, the ACL 2’s predecessor, while 1,400 lux is sufficient for the competition’s earlier stages.

Temporary stands will also be erected at the Bishan Stadium, whose only permanent main stand can hold only about 2,800 spectators. During the 2015 SEA Games, temporary stands had raised the stadium’s capacity to about 6,000.

The Sailors are also working on an enhanced match-day experience for fans, with mobile food trucks and a carnival planned outside the stadium.

“While we acknowledge the quick turnaround time, we are confident that we will have the necessary upgrades done in time to host a final worthy of the occasion,” added the spokesman. “The team is fully committed and driven to deliver a top-tier experience for everyone involved.”

The announcement comes after several days of uncertainty over where the showpiece will be held. The ACL 2 final is contested by the top teams from East and West Asia, with the venue alternating between both regions yearly.

For the 2024-25 edition, the host team will come from East Asia, which means the Sailors, who beat A-League side Sydney FC 2-1 on aggregate over their two-legged semi-final, have the hosting rights.

Sharjah had also advanced with a 2-1 aggregate win over Saudi Arabia’s Al-Taawoun in their last-four tie.

The Sailors had been scheduled to host Sharjah at the Jalan Besar Stadium, where the Singapore side had played their six ACL 2 home matches this season, winning four times, drawing once and losing once.

However, the Emirati club had requested last week that the final not be played at Jalan Besar, citing its artificial pitch and 6,000-seater capacity.

The 55,000-seater National Stadium will be unavailable, as the first of Lady Gaga’s four concerts will take place there on the day of the final.

AFC officials, who met SportSG and FAS representatives to discuss venue options for the showpiece last week, also carried out an inspection of the Bishan Stadium, which is also the home ground of both the Sailors and Balestier Khalsa in the SPL.

The Sailors, who are leading the SPL table, have won 14 of their 17 domestic games, including Singapore Cup fixtures, played at the Bishan Stadium so far this season, drawing twice and losing only once.

Eddy Hirono, co-founder of Sailors supporters’ site Sailor Fan Talk, believes that the club will still perform at Bishan.

The 37-year-old said: “From a fan point of view, we prefer Jalan Besar because it’s a tighter ground, and it really makes a difference to the atmosphere. We’re right on top of the players, and it both energises our Sailors and intimidates our opponents.

“The Jalan Besar Stadium is a stadium with a lot of history for our national and club teams. But no matter, at Bishan, we’ll write our own.”

Fellow Sailors fan Tan Chin Heng, 35, added: “I think it is a pity Sharjah FC had objections against playing on an artificial surface when the AFC stadium regulations explicitly allow for this.

“Nonetheless, I still feel reasonably happy with having the game at Bishan as it is still a familiar ground where we play our home league games.

“Keeping the final in Singapore would also allow as many fans as possible to be present for this historic occasion.”

Ticket details will be announced soon.