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SINGAPORE – The imminent restart of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) football is getting closer and closer. However, the restart of Singapore’s only professional sports league, which has been suspended since March 24, will also depend on an announcement by the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force.
Speaking to members of the media following the annual Singapore Football Association (FAS) congress on Saturday (September 26), governing body chairman Lim Kia Tong pointed to “some healthy signs” regarding to the situation here and added: “With the opening of the country and other measures involved … we hope to see the resumption in the first part of October.”
Local SPL teams were allowed to resume full training on September 1 and the FAS initially hoped to restart the league before the end of this month.
The Straits Times understands that the FAS could meet with club officials before the end of next week and, if the multi-ministry task force gives the go-ahead, the first SPL game could take place on the weekend of the 10th. October.
The games will be played without fans and the precautions will be similar to when the SPL moved to closed-door games shortly before its suspension. It is unclear if testing protocols are required for players and teams.
FAS Secretary General Yazeen Buhari said there would be changes to the competition format; Originally, each team in the nine-team league was scheduled to play each other three times, but did not elaborate on this.
However, questions remain about the participation of the defending champions Brunei DPMM. On September 1, Brunei and Singapore agreed to establish a reciprocal green lane (RGL) to facilitate essential commercial and official travel for “a limited number of” residents of both countries.
However, on September 19, the Brunei National Football Association announced that it would cancel its Brunei national Super League, as well as its youth tournaments involving the U-19 and U-16 teams.
Lim said the FAS has been doing “everything possible” to facilitate DPMM’s continuation in the SPL when it resumes, including working closely with the Foreign Ministry.
The DPMM has yet to resume full training, they have only been allowed to train in groups of 10 since last month, and coach Adrian Pennock acknowledged the possibility of his team not playing.
“We want to defend our title, obviously, and if the league resumes without us, it would be a shame,” the Briton said in a phone call from Bandar Seri Begawan.
“But we have to look forward. It is a very difficult decision, but we have to take note of the well-being of our staff and our team, and also the Singaporean teams that have to come here to play.”
“I hope we don’t have to sit down, but I totally understand if the Brunei health minister says we can’t play. It’s out of our hands now, really.”
In his speech at the FAS congress, Lim also gave an update on the Goal 2034 project, which aims to send Lions to the World Cup, and said that FAS will form a steering committee made up of relevant government stakeholders, corporate sectors and the football fraternity.
FAS Vice President Bernard Tan added that the association will work on Goal 2034 as a long-term project with intermediate goals rather than reviewing results year by year.
The FAS also announced that it is working with FIFA on a grant program that will see fan clubs in Singapore receive around $ 500,000 over two years, starting in 2021.
These clubs include those that participate in the Singapore Football League (SFL), the Women’s Premier League, the Women’s National League, and the Island Wide League.
Amos Boon, SFL Division 2 Singapore Cricket Club Head Coach, said: “There is now a greater financial incentive for each amateur team to perform well on the court while at the same time reaching a higher level of professionalism. in terms of day-to-day operations. “
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