2020 Singapore Premier League

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Singapore Premier League
Season2020
AFC Champions LeagueTampines Rovers
AFC CupLion City Sailors
Geylang International
Matches played56
Goals scored185 (3.3 per match)
Biggest home winLion City Sailors 5-0 Young Lions
(1 November 2020)
Lion City Sailors 6-1 Tanjong Pagar United
(13 November 2020)
Biggest away winBalestier Khalsa 1-7 Lion City Sailors
(7 November 2020)
Highest scoringBalestier Khalsa 1-7 Lion City Sailors
(7 November 2020)
Highest attendance2,723
(Tanjong Pagar 1-1 Sailors
6 March 2020)
Lowest attendance574
(Balestier 2-2 Albirex (S)
7 March 2020)
← 2019
2021 →

The 2020 Singapore Premier League (also known as the AIA Singapore Premier League due to sponsorship reasons) was the 3rd season of the Singapore Premier League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its rebranding in 2018.[1] The champions of the 2020 Singapore Premier League qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage automatically.

DPMM FC were the defending champions, but withdrew from the league prior to the season re-starting in October 2020. The league was won by Albirex Nigata (S) on the last matchday after beating Hougang United 1-0. Tampines Rovers qualified for the AFC Champions League as the highest ranked local team while Lion City Sailors and Geylang International qualified for the AFC Cup.

Format[]

The following key changes were made to the rules for the 2020 season:[2]

  1. Singapore Premier League clubs can sign a maximum of four foreign players in the 2020 season, up from three as compared to 2019.[3]
  2. From 2019, only four stadiums host regular matches. The 8 teams (excluding DPMM) will host the matches in the following stadiums: Our Tampines Hub (Tampines Rovers and Geylang International), Jalan Besar Stadium (Young Lions and Hougang United), Bishan Stadium (Home United and Balestier Khalsa) and Jurong East Stadium (Albirex Niigata and Warriors FC).[4]
  3. For 2019, Albirex is allowed to sign as many locals as their budget allows. However, the club are only allowed one Singaporean over the age of 23. Also, Albirex must have two Singaporeans in their starting lineup for each game.[5]
  4. Each team is now able to register up to 28 players in their squad, an increase of 3 players as compared to 2018.
  5. FAS had instructed Warriors FC to sit out the 2020 Singapore Premier League season due to their financial issue.[6]
  6. Tanjong Pagar United to replace Warriors FC in Singapore Premier League 2020.[7]
  7. Young Lions to play their home games at Jurong West Stadium, while Hougang United will move back to their previous home at Hougang Stadium. Tanjong Pagar United will take over Warriors and played in Jurong East Stadium.[8]
  8. Home United changed its name to Lion City Sailors Football Club ahead of the new season after being taken over by SEA Group. It is the 1st club in the SPL to be privatized.[9]
  9. Local SPL clubs are required to have a minimum of six U-23 players for a squad size of 19 to 25 players; this increases to seven (squad size 26), eight (27) and nine (28).
  10. Players in the League shall be allocated jersey numbers 1 to 50. Jersey numbers that have been registered shall not be reused during the same season.[10]

Disruptions due to COVID-19[]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore and more generally in Southeast Asia, the season was halted from 27 March.

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth approved the season recommencement on 17 October.[11] Competition rule changes included the provision for two water breaks during a match, and clubs will be able to use up to five substitutions (in defined windows after half-time).[12]

On 26 October 2020, DPMM FC withdrew from the league due to travel restrictions.[13]

Teams[]

A total of 8 teams competed in the league. Albirex Niigata (S) and DPMM FC are invited foreign clubs from Japan and Brunei respectively. Despite large criticism and discussion against the Young Lions project, the Young Lions will continue to compete till 2019 for the purposes of training and preparing for the 2019 SEA Games.[14]

Stadiums and locations[]

Locations of the 2018 Singapore Premier League teams from Singapore
Albirex (S) Tanjong Pagar
Albirex (S)
Tanjong Pagar
Young Lions
Balestier Khalsa Lion City Sailors
Balestier Khalsa
Lion City Sailors
Geylang International Tampines Rovers
Geylang International
Tampines Rovers
Hougang Utd
Hougang Utd
Locations of the 2018 Singapore Premier League teams from Singapore
Team Stadium Capacity
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Balestier Khalsa Bishan Stadium 3,500
Geylang International Our Tampines Hub 5,000
Hougang United Hougang Stadium 3,800
Lion City Sailors Bishan Stadium 3,500
Tampines Rovers Our Tampines Hub 5,000
Tanjong Pagar United Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Singapore Young Lions Jurong West Stadium 3,200

Personnel and sponsors[]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Main Shirt sponsor Other shirt sponsors
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) Japan Keiji Shigetomi Japan Kazuki Hashioka Mizuno[15] Canon Kirin
EnglishCentral
Lensmode
Kubota
Reeracoen
Gain City
Nippon Medical Care
Fitogether
Balestier Khalsa Croatia Marko Kraljević[16] Zaiful Nizam[17] Adidas[18] Jeep[19] Weston Corporation
Project Vaults
StarBalm
Geylang International Mohd Noor Ali[20] Japan Yuki Ichikawa[21] FBT[22] Epson Heng Motor
Chiang Kong
Broadway
D2D Sports
SoundTech
Hougang United Clement Teo[23] Khairulhin Khalid Warrix[24] SportCenter by Zup
Polar Water
Lion City Sailors Australia Aurelio Vidmar[25] Izzdin Shafiq[26] Puma SEA Shopee
Tampines Rovers Gavin Lee[27] Yasir Hanapi Mizuno[28] Hyundai Avante[29] ANA Courier Express
StarBalm
Tanjong Pagar United Faritz Abdul Hameed Thorb
Singapore Young Lions Nazri Nasir[30] Jacob Mahler Nike Catapult

Coaching changes[]

Team Outgoing Head Coach Manner of Departure Date of Vacancy Position in table Incoming Head Coach Date of appointment
Singapore Young Lions Fandi Ahmad Contract End 31 December 2019 [31] Pre-Season Nazri Nasir 1 January 2020 [30]
Lion City Sailors Noh Rahman (Interim) End of Caretaker 31 December 2019 [32] Pre-Season Australia Aurelio Vidmar [25]
Tanjong Pagar United NA NA NA Pre-Season Hairi Su'ap 1 January 2020
Tanjong Pagar United Hairi Su'ap Resigned 14 October 2020 [33] 7th 14 October 2020

Foreigners[]

Singapore Premier League clubs can sign a maximum of four foreign players in the 2020 season, up from three as compared to 2019.[34] However, one of them has to be 21 years old or younger on 1 January 2020.

Albirex Niigata can sign up unlimited number of Singaporean players for the new season. Only 1 local player above 23 years old is allowed.[35]

Players name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window.

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 U21 Player 1 SG U-23 Player 1 SG U-23 Player 2 SG U-23 Player 3 Former Players
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) Singapore Hyrulnizam Juma'at[36] Singapore Fairoz Hassan[37] Singapore Gareth Low[38] Singapore Ong Yu En[39] Singapore Iman Hakim[40] Singapore [41] Singapore [42] Singapore Sharul Nizam[43]
Singapore Zamani Zamri[44]
Singapore Daniel Goh[45]
Balestier Khalsa Japan Shuhei Hoshino[46] Croatia Šime Žužul[47] Croatia Kristijan Krajcek[48] Serbia Ensar Brunčević[49]
Geylang International Japan Yuki Ichikawa[50] Netherlands Barry Maguire[51] Kyrgyzstan Kamolidin Tashiev[52] Cape Verde Gilson Varela[53]
Greece Panagiotis Linardos [54]
Hougang United England Charlie Machell[55] Australia Zachary Anderson [56] Kyrgyzstan Maksat Dzhakybaliev[57] Croatia Stipe Plazibat[58]
Lion City Sailors South Korea Song Ui-young[59] Japan Kaishu Yamazaki[60] Croatia Stipe Plazibat [61] Australia Andy Pengelly [25]
Tampines Rovers Japan Kyoga Nakamura[62] Canada Jordan Webb[63] Montenegro Boris Kopitović[64] Serbia Zehrudin Mehmedović[65]
Tanjong Pagar United Japan Takahiro Tanaka[66] Japan Shodai Nishikawa[67] Brazil Luiz Júnior[68] Brazil Yann Motta

Note 1: Albirex is allowed to sign as many locals as their budget allows. However, the club are only allowed one Singaporean over the age of 23.

Note 2: Hougang United releases Charlie Machell and Zac Anderson before the season end as their contracts ended 30 November 2020 were not extended.

League table[]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Japan Albirex Niigata (S)[a] (C) 14 10 2 2 32 14 +18 32
2 Tampines Rovers 14 8 5 1 27 11 +16 29 Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage
3 Lion City Sailors 14 8 3 3 44 18 +26 27 Qualification for AFC Cup group stage
4 Geylang International 14 6 2 6 18 22 −4 20
5 Balestier Khalsa 14 5 4 5 22 28 −6 19
6 Hougang United 14 4 3 7 19 24 −5 15
7 Singapore Young Lions[a] 14 3 0 11 12 38 −26 9
8 Tanjong Pagar United 14 0 5 9 14 33 −19 5
Source: Singapore Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of wins
(C) Champion
Notes:
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b The foreign club – Albirex Niigata (S) – as well as the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) under-21 team, Young Lions, are ineligible for any AFC competition spots.

Results[]

Home \ Away Japan ALB TAM LCS GEY HOU BAL Singapore YLI TPU
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) — 1–4 3–2 4–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–0
Tampines Rovers 2–0 — 4–0 1–1 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–0
Lion City Sailors 2–3 1–1 — 4–0 1–1 5–2 5–0 6–1
Geylang International 0–1 1–1 0–3 — 2–0 2–3 3–0 2–1
Hougang United 0–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 — 1–2 4–1 3–2
Balestier Khalsa 2–2 2–2 1–7 2–0 2–2 — 1–2 2–2
Singapore Young Lions 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–2 1–4 0–2 — 2–1
Tanjong Pagar United 2–2 2–2 1–1 0–3 [69] 0–0 0–1 2–4 —
Updated to match(es) played on 20 March 2020. Source:[citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Statistics[]