Women's Premier League (Singapore)

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Women's Premier League (Singapore)
Organising body Football Association of Singapore (FAS)
CountrySingapore (9 teams)
Confederation AFC
Level on pyramid1
International cup(s) AFC Women's Champions League
Current champions Lion City Sailors (3rd title)
Most championships Tampines Rovers / Warriors (4 titles)
Website fas.org.sg
Current: 2025 Women's Premier League

The Women's Premier League (WPL), currently known as the Deloitte Women's Premier League due to sponsorship reasons with audit firm Deloitte, is the top-flight women's football league in Singapore. It is run by Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and features seven amateur teams.

Contents

History

The WPL started in August 2000 in Singapore. [1]

In 2004, in a similar move to S.League, the WPL invited a foreign team to join the league. Guangzhou Sunray Cave from China joined the WPL. [2]

Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced that the league will be reorganised to form a two-division structure from 2017. The 2017 Women’s Premier League will consist of the teams that finished in the top six positions of 2016 edition, while the new Women’s National League (WNL) will be made up of the teams that finished in the 7th-11th positions, along with any new teams. [3]

Promotion and relegation will be introduced in the new structure. The champions of WNL 2017 will be promoted to WPL 2018, while the last placed team of WPL 2017 will be relegated to WNL 2018. The second-last placed team of the WPL 2017 will play against the first runners-up of WNL 2017 in a playoff. The winner of the playoff will be promoted to WPL 2018. [3]

In 2019, WPL had 10 teams. [4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, WPL was suspended since 2019. [4]

On 28 May 2022, WPL resumed competition and started the 2022 season. [5]

With the Singapore Premier League transitioning to the European calendar in 2024-25, while the amateur leagues continue to follow the calendar year, the Football Association of Singapore decided to hold two separate awards events from 2024 season. [6] The inaugural Amateur Leagues Awards Night for 2024 season was held on 21 February 2025 at the SportSG Auditorium (BlackBox). [7]

On 21 February 2025, A-League Women’s team Brisbane Roar announced that they will embark on their first-ever overseas tour [8] to Singapore, under partnership with the FAS. During this five-day tour, they will conducting junior football clinics, community engagement events, as well as an exhibition match against the best of the WPL at Bishan Stadium on 4 April 2025. [9]

Competition format

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 promotion system in the league but clubs with the least points will be relegated. For three seasons onwards from the 2022 season onwards for three seasons, there will be no relegation to the second-tier Women’s National League. [1]

Sponsorship

On 4 May 2022, Deloitte became the title sponsor for the WPL for three years. [1] The three-year sponsorship deal includes more than $300,000 with the prize money for the champion increased to $25,000. [1]

Broadcasting

Games are broadcast on Deloitte's youtube page. [10]

Clubs

The following eight clubs are competing in the league during the 2022 season. [1] [11] The majority of the matches will be played at Choa Chu Kang Stadium with the rest being played at Yishun Stadium and Our Tampines Hub.

TeamFounded
Albirex Niigata (S) 2022
Balestier Khalsa 2022
Hougang United 2022
Geylang International 2023
Lion City Sailors
Still Aerion 2005
Tampines Rovers
Tanjong Pagar United
Tiong Bahru

Former clubs

Invited clubs

  • Guangzhou Sunray Cave [2]
  • Borussia Zamrud

Players

The minimum age of players has been raised from 15 to 16. Exceptions are allowed subjected to club's request and FAS's approval. The foreign player quota increased to four from three per club. [15]

Clubs need to register a minimum of 18 players, with a maximum of 25 players in their squads. Each team will be allowed maximum of nine substitutes per match, reduced from 14 substitutes. [15]

Past champions

SeasonWinnersRunners-upRef
2000 Tampines Rovers Singapore American School [16]
2001 Tampines Rovers (2) Home United [16]
2002 Tampines Rovers (3) Home United [16]
2003 Tampines Rovers (4) Home United [16]
2004Guangzhou Sunray Cave Home United [16]
2005 Paya Lebar Punggol Bishan Arsenal [16]
2006Young Women Paya Lebar Punggol [16]
2007Bishan ArsenalYoung Women. [16]
2008Young Women (2) Arion [16]
2009 Sengkang Punggol [a] (2)Middle Rangers [16]
2010Ang Mo Kio Utd [b] (2)Middle Rangers [16]
2011Borussia ZamrudPolice SA [16]
2012Tanjong Pagar UnitedMiddle Rangers [16]
2013Middle RangersYoung Women [16]
2014 Eunos Crescent Police SA [16]
2015GFA Sporting WestlakePolice SA [16]
2016 Warriors Still Aerion [16]
2017 Warriors (2)Woodlands Wellington [16]
2018 Warriors (3)Woodlands Wellington [16]
2019 Warriors (4) Home United [18]
2020Competition not held due to Covid-19 Pandemic [16]
2021
2022 Lion City Sailors [c] Albirex Niigata (S) [19]
2023 Lion City Sailors (2)Albirex Niigata (S) [20]
2024 Lion City Sailors (3)Albirex Niigata (S) [21]
2025
  1. ↑ Sengkang Punggol was a merger between Paya Lebar-Punggol and Sengkang Marine. Currently known as Hougang Utd
  2. ↑ Formerly known as Bishan Arsenal [17]
  3. ↑ Formerly known as Home United


Performance by clubs

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning years
Warriors
4
0
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Tampines Rovers
4
0
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Lion City Sailors [a]
3
5
 2022, 2023, 2024
Young Women
2
2
2006, 2008
Ang Mo Kio United [b]
2
1
2007, 2010
Hougang United [c]
2
1
2005, 2009
Middle Rangers
1
3
2013
GFA Sporting Westlake
1
0
2015
Eunos Crescent
1
0
2014
Tanjong Pagar United
1
0
2012
Borussia Zamrud
1
0
2011
Guangzhou Sunray Cave
1
0
2004
Albirex Niigata (S)
0
3
Police SA
0
3
Woodlands Wellington
0
2
Still Aerion [d]
0
2
Singapore American School
0
1
  1. ↑ Formerly known as Home United
  2. ↑ Formerly known as Bishan Arsenal [17]
  3. ↑ Formerly known as Sengkang Punggol
  4. ↑ Formerly known as Arion WFC

All Stars Game

The inaugural Women's Premier League All Stars Game was held on 4 April 2025 at Bishan Stadium against Australian A-League Women side Brisbane Roar. [22] Brisbane Roar won the match 7–1, with one of their seven goals coming from Singaporean international Danelle Tan. [23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Auto, Hermes (4 May 2022). "Football: Singapore's Women's Premier League launched, $300,000 title sponsorship with Deloitte". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Foreign team for FAS women's league". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. 5 July 2004. p. 42. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Change to FAS Women's Premier League 2017". 24 December 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  4. 1 2 Auto, Hermes (7 January 2022). "Football: Women's game remains on the sidelines in Singapore". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  5. ↑ Auto, Hermes (28 May 2022). "Football: Cameras, fans and goals as Women's Premier League hits reset button | The Straits Times". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  6. ↑ Kwek, Kimberly (22 February 2025). "FAS to host inaugural Amateur Leagues Awards Night 2024". The Straits Times.
  7. ↑ "FAS to host inaugural Amateur Leagues Awards Night 2024". FAS. 18 February 2025.
  8. ↑ "Brisbane Roar Ninja A-League Women set for historic exhibition match in Singapore". Brisbane Roar . 21 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "A-League Women's side Brisbane Roar to play exhibition match in Singapore in April". The Straits Times. 21 February 2025.
  10. ↑ Auto, Hermes (28 May 2022). "Football: Cameras, fans and goals as Women's Premier League hits reset button". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  11. ↑ Auto, Hermes (22 July 2022). "Football: JSSL, Tampines Rovers to form team for 2023 Women's Premier League | The Straits Times". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Young Women clinch Women's Premier League". 9 June 2008.
  13. ↑ "Paya Lebar rule, with help from China". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. 19 September 2005. p. 49. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  14. ↑ "Deloitte Women's Premier League 2024 set to return on 9 March". FAS. 22 February 2024.
  15. 1 2 Auto, Hermes (25 May 2022). "Football: Women's Premier League kicks off on Saturday with double-header at Yishun Stadium". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Women's Premier League returns with first-ever title sponsor". Football Association of Singapore. 4 May 2022.
  17. 1 2 "*UPDATED* Women's Premier League 2008 fixtures". FAS . 15 February 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  18. ↑ "Warriors crowned Women's Premier League 2019 champions". FAS . Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  19. ↑ "Lion City Sailors seal Deloitte Women's Premier League title". FAS . Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "Lion City Sailors seal second consecutive title in the 2023 WPL season". FAS . Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  21. ↑ "Sailors clinch historic third straight WPL title by one point with final day win". FAS . Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  22. ↑ https://brisbaneroar.com.au/news/brisbane-roar-ninja-a-league-women-set-for-historic-exhibition-match-in-singapore/
  23. ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/womens-premier-league-all-stars-draw-inspiration-from-7-1-rout-by-brisbane-roar
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