Singapore Premier League

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Singapore Premier League
Singapore Premier League 2018.png
Organising body Football Association of Singapore (FAS)
Founded14 April 1996;28 years ago (1996-04-14) (as S. League)
31 March 2018;6 years ago (2018-03-31) (as Singapore Premier League)
Country Singapore (8 teams)
Other club(s) fromBrunei (1 team)
Confederation AFC
Number of teams9
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s) Singapore Cup
Singapore Community Shield
International cup(s) AFC Champions League 2
Current champions Albirex Niigata (S) (6th title)
Most championships Warriors FC (9 titles)
Most appearances Daniel Bennett (518)
Top goalscorer Aleksandar Đurić (385)
TV partners1 Play Sports (live streaming)
Mediacorp
Singtel TV
Starhub
J Sports
Website spl.sg
Current: 2024–25 Singapore Premier League

The Singapore Premier League, commonly abbreviated as SPL, officially known as the AIA Singapore Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is a men's professional football league sanctioned by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), which represents the sport's highest level in the Singapore football league system.

Contents

The competition was founded as the S. League on 14 April 1996 after the FAS announced its intention to promote and expand the growing local football community by having a top level domestic league. As of 2022, the league comprises eight clubs, consisting of three rounds in which each team plays every other team once. Seasons run from late March to October, with teams playing 21 matches each, totalling 147 matches in the season.

Successful SPL clubs gain qualification into Asian continental club competitions, including the AFC Champions League 2. SPL currently does not practice promotion and relegation. Since the league's inception in 1996, 7 clubs have been crowned champions. Warriors FC [lower-alpha 1] have been the most successful club with 9 titles, followed by Albirex Niigata Singapore (6),Tampines Rovers (5), Lion City Sailors (3), [lower-alpha 2] Geylang International (2), DPMM (2) and Étoile (1). The current champions are Albirex Niigata, the Japanese satellite team, having won their fifth S-League title in the 2023 season.

History

Origins

Singapore had been represented in the Malaysia Cup through the Singapore Lions since 1921. The Lions were one of the most successful teams in the competition, having won it 24 times from 1921 to 1994. Following a dispute over gate receipts between the FAS and FAM [1] after winning the league and cup double in 1994, the Lions withdrew from the Malaysian competitions.

Subsequently, the Football Association of Singapore decided to build a professional league system. However, as it was estimated to take about a year to put in place the structure of a professional league, the Singapore Lions were given match practice in what was then the top level of domestic football, the semi-professional FAS Premier League. This team won the last FAS Premier League title, finishing the season unbeaten.

S. League era (1996–2017)

Inaugural season

The S.League was founded in 1996. The FAS invited applications for clubs to compete in the newly formed league. Eight successful applications were made. Two clubs from the Premier League – powerhouse Geylang International (renamed Geylang United; 6 consecutive Premier League titles) and Balestier United (renamed Balestier Central – joined six from the amateur National Football League – Police SA, Singapore Armed Forces, Tampines Rovers, Tiong Bahru United, Wellington (renamed Woodlands Wellington) and Sembawang Rangers (merger of Gibraltar Crescent and Sembawang SC) – for the inaugural edition of the S.League. The season was split into the two series. Tiger Beer Series winners Geylang United defeated Pioneer Series winners Singapore Armed Forces 2–1 in the end of season championship playoff to be crowned the 1st S.League champions. [2] The 30,000 crowd at the playoff remains the record attendance in the S.League.

Expansion of the league

Police FC renamed themselves as Home United for the 1997 season to reflect their representation of not only the Singapore Police Force, but also other HomeTeam Departments of the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs such as the SCDF and the ICA. NFL side Jurong Town, who renamed themselves Jurong FC, joined the competition taking the number of participating clubs to 9. The league switched from its previous format to a round-robin competition. Singapore Armed Forces won their first title.

Gombak United and Marine Castle United joined the S.League in 1998, further taking the number of clubs to 11. Tiong Bahru United renamed themselves to Tanjong Pagar United at the start of the season. Singapore Armed Forces won their second consecutive title.

Clementi Khalsa joined the S.League in 1999 as a representative of the Sikh community in Singapore. The league took on 12 teams for the next five years. Home United won their first title.

Invited clubs

During the 2000s, the FAS decided to invite foreign clubs to the league to increase league competitiveness. Sinchi, a side composed of Chinese players became the first foreign club to participate in 2003. Chinese national Shi Jiayi and Qiu Li went on to become naturalised Singapore players.

Sporting Afrique, a club made up of African players, and Super Reds, a side comprising South Korean players, became the third and fourth foreign clubs to join the competition in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Sporting Afrique were refused entry into the 2007 S.League due to off-field controversies and poor performance. In 2010, Super Reds were denied a place after three seasons following attempts to convert into a team of local players.

Chinese Super League clubs Liaoning (2007), Dalian Shide (2008) and Beijing Guoan (2010) entered their feeder clubs in the S.League. All three clubs each lasted one season before being pulled out of the league due to poor performances and disciplinary issues. Bruneian club DPMM joined the S.League in 2009 before being pulled from the league as a result of a FIFA ban. They re-entered the league from 2012. They were the first club to base themselves outside of Singapore. In 2010, French club Étoile became the first foreign side to win the S.League. Etoile pulled out of the S.League prior to the 2012 season to focus on grassroots football and youth development.

In 2012, Malaysia national youth sides Harimau Muda A and Harimau Muda B joined the S.League following an agreement between the Football Association of Singapore and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to send their representative sides into their respective domestic competitions. Singaporean side LionsXII returned to the Malaysian competitions in 2012. Echoing the former Singapore FA, the LionsXII quickly became a successful force in the Malaysian league system during its short stint, winning the league title in 2013 as well as the FA Cup in 2015.

However, on 25 November 2015, the FAM decided not to extend their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the FAS. This automatically disqualified LionsXII from further entering any football tournament in Malaysia. Similarly, Malaysia's squad Harimau Muda did not participate in the Singapore League from then onwards. [3]

J.League club Albirex Niigata entered their feeder club Albirex Niigata Singapore in the 2004 S.League. The club became the most established foreign side in the S.League, drawing on the support the Japanese expatriate community and some local fans. As of 2023, they are the foreign side with the longest involvement in Singaporean football.

20th season

The league took on a number of changes for the 2015 season to increase its competitiveness. [4] [5] The number of clubs was reduced from 12 to 10, with the withdrawal of Tanjong Pagar United due to financial problems, and the merger of Woodlands Wellington and Hougang United. [4] [6] The league returned to a three-round format used from 2001 to 2011. [4] The foreign player quota remained at five per club, but incentives were given to those who signed an under-21 player. [6] The passing time for the mandatory 2.4 km fitness test was lowered from 10 mins to 9 mins 45 s. [4] A new rule on age restrictions – a maximum of five players aged 30 and above and a minimum of three under-25 players for clubs with a 22-man squad, a maximum of four players aged 30 and above and a minimum of two under-25 players for clubs with a 20-man squad – was later reversed. [6] [7]

Rebranding as Singapore Premier League (2018–present)

The league was rebranded as the Singapore Premier League on 21 March 2018. Further revamps were also made to see a greater emphasis on local youth players in a bid to strengthen the national side; this, in effect, has resulted in a number of senior as well as local and foreign stars being purchased by overseas clubs. [8]

Singapore Premier League clubs can sign a maximum of four foreign players in the 2020 season, up from three as compared in the 2019 season. In the 2022 season, All eight team will play a four-round format for the first time in its entire league history. The 2024–25 Singapore Premier League season will be the first season to have a two-year schedule in the league history.

Competition format

Structure

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored.

At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned league champion. If the points, goal difference, goals scored, and head-to-head results between teams are equal, head-to-head records between the teams are used, followed by a better fair play record.

There is no relegation or promotion system in the league. Clubs enter the Singapore Premier League by invitation of the Football Association of Singapore.

SeasonNo. of ClubsMatches per ClubNotes
1996 814 × 2 seriesOne title playoff match between series winners at the end of the season.
1997 916
1998 1120
19992000 1222
20012003 1233In 2003, matches proceeded to a penalty shootout in the event of a draw.
Shootout winners were awarded an extra point on top of the draw.
20042005 1027
2006 1130
20072011 1233DPMM's results were expunged towards the end of 2009 following a FIFA ban, officially leaving 11 teams playing 30 matches each.
2012 1324
20132014 1227The league was split into two-halves after matchday 22.
Teams in each half play every other team from their half once, for an additional five matches.
Results in the 2nd phase were added to that in the 1st phase for overall standings.
2015 1027The league returned to a three-round format.
20162017 924
20182019 924
2020 814
2021 821
2022 828The league will play a four-round format for the first time in its entire history.
2023– 924The league returned to a three-round format.
2024–25 932The league returned a four-round format.

Clubs

A total of 25 clubs have played in the league from its inception in 1996 up to and including the 2022 season. The following 9 clubs are competing in the league during the 2023 season. There are two non-Singaporean clubs that currently compete in the Singapore Premier League – Albirex Niigata (S) is a satellite team of the Japanese club of the same name and DPMM of the Brunei.

TeamFoundedBasedStadiumCapacityFormer Name
Albirex Niigata (S) 2004 Jurong East Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Balestier Khalsa 1898 Toa Payoh Toa Payoh Stadium 3,800formed from merger of Balestier Central and Clementi Khalsa in 2002.
DPMM 2000 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium 28,000
Geylang International 1973 Bedok Bedok Stadium 3,800known as Geylang United from 1996 to 2012.
Lion City Sailors 1946 Bishan Bishan Stadium 6,254known as Police FC in debut season; formerly Home United.
Hougang United 1998 Hougang Hougang Stadium 6,000known as Marine Castle United (1998–2001), Sengkang Marine (2002–2003), Sengkang Punggol (2006–2010; merger with Paya Lebar Punggol).
Tampines Rovers 1945 Tampines Our Tampines Hub 5,000
Tanjong Pagar United 1974 Queenstown Queenstown Stadium 3,800known as Tiong Bahru Constituency Sports Club (1974-1996), Tiong Bahru United (1996-1998).
Young Lions 2002 Kallang Jalan Besar Stadium 6,000Sponsorship name; Courts Young Lions (2011-2015), Garena Young Lions (2016-2017).

Balestier Khalsa, Geylang International and Tampines Rovers are clubs that have played in all 28 seasons of the Singapore Premier League as of 2024.

Former clubs

TeamYears
Gombak United 1998–2002
2006–2012
Woodlands Wellington 1996–2014
Sembawang Rangers 1996–2003
Jurong FC 1997–2003
Warriors FC 1996–2019
Tiong Bahru United 1996-1997

Years indicates seasons active in the league.

Invited clubs

TeamYearsNotes
Sinchi 2003–2005Chinese club
Albirex Niigata (S) 2004–presentSatellite club of Albirex Niigata of Japan
Sporting Afrique 2006African expatriate team
Liaoning Guangyuan 2007Satellite club of Liaoning of China
Super Reds 2007–2009 Korean expatriate team
Dalian Shide Siwu 2008Satellite club of Dalian Shide of China
DPMM 2008–presentClub based in Brunei
Beijing Guoan Talent 2010Satellite club of Beijing Guoan of China
Étoile 2010–2011French expatriate team
Harimau Muda A 2012Malaysian youth national teams playing as clubs
Harimau Muda B 2013–2015

Years indicates seasons active in the leagueDomestic based are foreign clubs which are based in Singapore.

Sponsorship

After an inaugural season with no sponsorship, the league was sponsored by Great Eastern from 2009 until 2018 where Yeo's and Hyundai become the joint sponsorship, during which time it was known as the Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League and the Great Eastern-Hyundai S.League. In 2019, Hong Kong-based multinational insurance and finance corporation sponsored the league as their main sponsor.

For the 2018 season, the league was rebranded the Singapore Premier League.

PeriodSponsorBrand
1996–2008No sponsorS.League
2009–2016 Great Eastern-Yeo's Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League
2017–2018 Great Eastern-Hyundai Great Eastern-Hyundai S.League
2019–present AIA AIA Singapore Premier League

International competitions

Qualification for Asian competitions

The league's winners qualify for the AFC Champions League, while Singapore Cup winners qualify for the AFC Cup playoff spot. In the event of the same club winning both the S.League and Singapore Cup, the runners-up of the league takes up the AFC Cup qualification spot. Foreign clubs are ineligible to represent the Football Association of Singapore in AFC continental competitions. The qualification spot is given to the next best-placed local club in the league if a foreign club wins any of the two competitions.

Past champions

The league has seen five clubs win the title since its inception. Warriors FC (formerly Singapore Armed Forces FC) hold the most titles at nine. In 2010, Étoile FC became the first foreign side to win the competition. [9]

SeasonWinnersRunners-up
1996* Geylang United Singapore Armed Forces
1997 Singapore Armed Forces Tiong Bahru United
1998 Singapore Armed Forces (2) Tanjong Pagar United
1999 Home United Singapore Armed Forces
2000 Singapore Armed Forces (3) Tanjong Pagar United
2001 Geylang United (2) Singapore Armed Forces
2002 Singapore Armed Forces (4) Home United
2003 Home United (2) Geylang United
2004 Tampines Rovers Home United
2005 Tampines Rovers (2) Singapore Armed Forces
2006 Singapore Armed Forces (5) Tampines Rovers
2007 Singapore Armed Forces (6) Home United
2008 Singapore Armed Forces (7) Super Reds
2009 Singapore Armed Forces (8) Tampines Rovers
2010 Étoile Tampines Rovers
2011 Tampines Rovers (3) Home United
2012 Tampines Rovers (4) DPMM FC
2013 Tampines Rovers (5) Home United
2014 Warriors FC (9) DPMM FC
2015 DPMM FC Tampines Rovers
2016 Albirex Niigata (S) Tampines Rovers
2017 Albirex Niigata (S) (2) Tampines Rovers
2018 Albirex Niigata (S) (3) [10] Home United
2019 DPMM FC (2) Tampines Rovers
2020 Albirex Niigata (S) [11] (4) Tampines Rovers
2021 Lion City Sailors (3) Albirex Niigata (S)
2022 Albirex Niigata (S) (5) Lion City Sailors
2023 Albirex Niigata (S) (6) Lion City Sailors

* The inaugural season of the S.League was split into two series. The winners of each series completed in a championship playoff in which Geylang United defeated Singapore Armed Forces to claim the first S.League title.

Performance by clubs

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning years
Warriors FC
9
4
1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014
Albirex Niigata (S)
6
1
2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023
Tampines Rovers
5
8
2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013
Lion City Sailors
3
7
1999, 2003, 2021
DPMM
2
2
2015, 2019
Geylang International
2
1
1996, 2001
Étoile
1
0
2010
Tanjong Pagar United
0
3
Super Reds
0
1

Awards

Type of awards in the Singapore Premier League

Special awards

100 S.League goals

SeasonNameClub
2002 Flag of Singapore.svg Mirko Grabovac Singapore Armed Forces
2003 Flag of Singapore.svg Indra Sahdan Daud Home United
2003 Flag of Singapore.svg Aleksandar Đurić Geylang United
2004 Flag of Singapore.svg Egmar Goncalves Home United
2005 Flag of Singapore.svg Noh Alam Shah Tampines Rovers
2005 Flag of Brazil.svg Peres De Oliveira Home United
2007 Flag of Singapore.svg Agu Casmir Gombak United
2008 Flag of South Korea.svg Park Tae-Won [12] Woodlands Wellington
2009 Flag of Cameroon.svg Ludovick Takam Home United
2010 Flag of Singapore.svg Mohd Noor Ali [13] Woodlands Wellington
2014 Flag of Singapore.svg Qiu Li [14] Balestier Khalsa
2020 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jordan Webb Tampines Rovers

200 S.League goals

SeasonNameClub
2005 Flag of Singapore.svg Mirko Grabovac Tampines Rovers
2007 Flag of Singapore.svg Aleksandar Đurić Singapore Armed Forces

300 goals

SeasonNameClub
2010 Flag of Singapore.svg Aleksandar Đurić Tampines Rovers


All-time league table

The all-time Singapore Premier League table is a cumulative record of all match results, points and goals of every team that has played in the league since its inception in 1996. The table that follows is accurate as of the end of the 2023 season. Teams in bold are part of the 2023 season.

Pos
Club
No. of
Seasons
Pld
W (PK) [lower-alpha 3] D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1 Tampines Rovers 28720389 (3)1451831,425909+5161,318
2 Warriors a24654371 (2)1211601,407865+5421,238
3Home United24654357 (2)1231721,309853+4561,198
4 Geylang International a28720294 (3)1452891,1311,127+41,043
5 Albirex Niigata (S) 205342751181391,022735+287985
6 Balestier Khalsa 28720211 (2)1583719941,396−402756
7 Woodlands Wellington c19531167 (4)120240743930−187623
8 Young Lions 19567141 (1)1093166831,123−440529
9 Tanjong Pagar United 15404136 (2)85172583692−109492
10 Gombak United 1234611488144462528−66432
11 Hougang United f1332111365143508571−63379
12 DPMM d92251034874414333+81357
13 Jurong FC 717970 (7)2973261274−13253
14 Sembawang Rangers 820753 (5)47102256409−149216
15 Lion City Sailors g487571515273117+156186
16 Super Reds 396412035144146−2143
17 Étoile f26642111311959+60132
18 Clementi Khalsa 4110222959150261−11195
19 Sinchi b38722 (6)1346109167−5888
20 Harimau Muda B 38123144490150−6083
21 Harimau Muda A 12413383723+1442
22 Beijing Guoan Talent e133106173049−1931
23 Liaoning Guangyuan 13385203363−3029
24 Sporting Afrique (Africa)13059263659−2324
25 Dalian Shide Siwu 13357212675−5522
26 Paya Lebar Punggol 12711252378−554

Records and statistics

Team records

Player records

Manager records

See also

Notes

  1. Formerly known as the Singapore Armed Forces Football Club (SAFFC).
  2. Formerly known as Home United Football Club (HUFC).
  3. The 2003 edition of the S.League saw the introduction of penalty shootouts if a match ended a draw. Shootout winners were awarded an extra point on top of the draw.

Related Research Articles

The 2011 season was Woodlands Wellington's 16th competitive and consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and 24th year in existence as a football club.

The 2020 Singapore Premier League was the 3rd season of the Singapore Premier League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its rebranding in 2018. The champions of the 2020 Singapore Premier League qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage automatically.

The 2020 Singapore Premier League season is Tanjong Pagar United's 15th season at the top level of Singapore football. The club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.

The 2022 season is Tampines Rovers's 27th season at the top level of Singapore football and 77th year in existence as a football club. The club will also compete in the Singapore League Cup, the Singapore Cup, and the AFC Cup.

The 2022 season is Geylang International's 27th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League. Along with the Singapore Premier League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.

The 2022 season is Lion City Sailors' 27th consecutive season in the Singapore Premier League and the 3rd season since privatising from Home United. They played in the 2022 AFC Champions League, which marked their 3rd appearance at the competition, and their 1st ACL Group Stage appearance.

The 2022 season is Albirex Niigata Singapore FC's 19th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League, having joined the Sleague in 2004. Along with the 2022 Singapore Premier League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup and the Singapore League Cup.

The 2022 season is Hougang United's 25th consecutive season in the Singapore Premier League. After finishing third in the 2021 Singapore Premier League, Hougang qualified for the 2022 AFC Cup.

The 2022 season was Tanjong Pagar United FC's 17th season at the top level of Singapore football. The club also competed in the Singapore Cup, going out in the group stage.

The 2022 season is Young Lion's 19th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League.

The 2022 season is Balestier Khalsa's 27th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League and the Singapore Cup.

The 2023 season is Hougang United's 26th consecutive season in the Singapore Premier League. After finishing third in the 2021 Singapore Premier League, Hougang qualified for the 2023–24 AFC Cup.

The 2023 season is Tanjong Pagar United FC's 18th season at the top level of Singapore football. The club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.

The 2023 season is Geylang International's 28th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League. Along with the Singapore Premier League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.

The 2023 season is Young Lion's 20th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League.

The 2023 season is Tampines Rovers' 28th season at the top level of Singapore football and their 78th year in existence as a football club. The club will also compete in the Singapore League Cup, the Singapore Cup, and the AFC Cup.

The 2023 season is Balestier Khalsa's 28th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League and the Singapore Cup.

The 2024–25 season is Tanjong Pagar United FC's 19th season at the top level of Singapore football. The club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.

The 2024–25 season will be Tampines Rovers' 29th consecutive season at the top level of Singapore football and their 79th year in existence as a football club. It will be the club first season to be renamed by adding the word 'BG' infront of the club name. The club also qualified for the AFC Champions League 2 as the 2nd best placed local team in the previous season. This will be their first season after they inked a three-year collaboration in 2023 with Thailand's BG Pathum United, a partnership that will continue until the end of the 2025–26 season.

The 2024–25 season is Hougang United's 27th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League and the Singapore Cup.

References

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