Science Centre Singapore crowned champions of inaugural SPH Media Football Fiesta

SINGAPORE – With the 2026 World Cup just days away, football fever is sweeping across the globe ahead of the sport’s biggest showpiece.

That excitement was on full display at the inaugural Football Fiesta 2026 organised by SPH Media on June 7, as employees from 18 companies traded their corporate attire for football kits and took to the pitch for a day of competition.

Held at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre, the five-a-side corporate tournament involved companies from industries across technology, healthcare, finance, transport and social impact.

The event, which featured Sea Limited as a presenting partner, was won by Science Centre Singapore, who beat SMRT 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0 draw at full-time in the final to take home the winner’s cheque of $5,000.

In his opening address, SPH Media chief executive Chan Yeng Kit said the aim of the tournament was to create a platform to bring people together, and strengthen camaraderie within teams while fostering connections across industries.

He said: “This year is special because it’s FIFA World Cup year, a timely reminder that football has a unique way of connecting people across cultures, industries and communities.

“It embodies how success is built not only on individual talent, but also on trust, communication and, most importantly, teamwork.

“These values are just as important not just on the field but in the workplace as well.”

Two World Cup co-host countries Mexico and Canada were also represented at the event, as the tournament’s diplomatic partners – the Embassy of Mexico and High Commission of Canada here – sent teams to participate.

For Genevieve Martel and Emelie Audet, who work in immigration at the Canadian High Commission, taking part in such events offers them the opportunity to get to know people from other departments and companies.

Martel, 39, said: “This allows us to meet new people and we’re always up for doing different things that also help us discover Singapore too.”

Being back on the pitch brought back memories for Audet, who played high-school football over 30 years ago.

The 49-year-old said: “I was in the volleyball team as well and after that I switched to competitive dancing so I was curious and tried a lot of sports, so those three years were my last ones in soccer and I’m back today.”

Mexico’s Ambassador to Singapore Agustin Garcia-Lopez Loaeza, who was one of the event’s guests of honour, also highlighted the importance of using football to create a positive impact on communities.

He said: “Today marks the beginning of a football tournament but also something with a broader meaning – Football Fiesta brings together companies, colleagues and communities through sport.

“With SportCares as its partner, it reminds us that football is not just about competition but also about supporting those who need it most, and using the game to make sports inclusive and become a positive difference in people’s lives.”

A cheque of $10,000 was presented to SportCares, the philanthropic arm of Sport Singapore and the official social cause of the event.

While Science Centre Singapore did not have much training together before the tournament, their captain Mohammed Fazail stressed that they had come with a winning mentality.

The 39-year-old said: “The mentality was there and we wanted to win. Then we just played our best.

“The team was fantastic and the closeness and understanding we shared really showed in the matches, so we’re very happy with the championship.”

He was also not playing with complete strangers either, with the team including a few players he used to play with in futsal tournaments over a decade ago.

Beyond the matches, participants were treated to a fun festival-style setting with food and music, as well as a dance performance by Mitote folk dancers, a Mexican folkloric-dance group.

There were other activities such as football skill challenges and clinics.

Fazail said: “You meet different people from different organisations, which builds your network and gives us contacts for work as well.

“This is a good opportunity to get to know them – this is different from the usual tournaments that we go to, which are very competitive.

“This was well-managed because when you go for those other tournaments there may be a lot of fights, injuries. If you see in the final, both teams played football while respecting each other.”