2022 Singapore Premier League

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Singapore Premier League
Season2022
Matches played2
Goals scored6 (3 per match)
Top goalscorerReo Nishiguchi
(2 goals)
← 2021
→

The 2022 Singapore Premier League (also known as the AIA Singapore Premier League due to sponsorship reasons) is the 5th season of the Singapore Premier League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its rebranding in 2018.[1][2] The champions of the 2022 Singapore Premier League may qualify for the AFC Champions League. The season will begin on March and is scheduled to end in October.

Lion City Sailors are the defending champions, having won their third Singapore Premier League title during the previous season.

Format[]

The following key changes were made to the rules since the 2022 season:[3]

  1. Each team is able to register up to 25 players in their squad, a reduction of 3 players as compared from 2020.
  2. Albirex is allowed to have a minimum squad of eighteen (18) Players under non-amateur (Professional) contract, as at the pre-season minimum registration deadline and a maximum of twenty-five (25) Players.
  3. From 2021, Albirex is allowed to sign a maximum of 2 overage Singaporean players.[4] As in 2019 and 2020, Albirex must have two Singaporeans in their starting lineup for each game.
  4. Young Lions is allowed to register a minimum of twenty (20) Players as at the pre-season minimum registration deadline and a maximum of thirty-five (35) Players as at the close of the first registration window.
  5. Young Lions and Lion City Sailors Football Club to play their home games at Jalan Besar Stadium while Balestier Khalsa will play at Toa Payoh Stadium. Bishan Stadium is under renovation till end of season. Other stadiums used are: (1) Our Tampines Hub (Tampines Rovers and Geylang International), Hougang Stadium (Hougang United) and (3) Jurong East Stadium (Albirex Niigata and Tanjong Pagar United).
  6. Clubs will be equipped with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) devices - among other performance and tracking gear. Value of the sponsorship is worth around $620,000.[5]
  7. SPL clubs are now allowed to register a maximum of four foreign players with no age restrictions, of whom at least one shall be of the nationality of an AFC Member Association (Asian). A maximum of four foreign players may be named or fielded in any one match.[6]
  8. Players shall be allocated jersey numbers 1 to 50. Jersey number become available for allocation to new members after a player ceased to play for a club.[7]

New rules for 2022.[8]

  1. Clubs will be required to field only one U-23 player – instead of three – for the first half of a match from next season.
  2. There will be no limit on the number of U-23 players registered in each squad.
  3. All SPL teams will play each other four time.
  4. Clubs will be able to register 20 players per match. There will be nine substitutes allowed on a team’s bench – up from seven – and clubs will be permitted to make up to five substitutions per match.
  5. Each team will need to field a minimum of one Under-23 player of Singaporean nationality for the entire duration of the first half. This is a reduction from three in 2020.
  6. Youth elite leagues are slated to resume.
  7. New scheme to incentivise SPL clubs to place higher priority on their youth development programmes.
  8. Clubs will receive monetary rewards for each of their U-23 players who gets called up to the national teams.
  9. 1st transfer window: 1 Jan 2021 to 20 March 2021, 2nd transfer window: 17 May 2021 to 13 June 2021

Teams[]

A total of 8 teams competed in the league. Albirex Niigata (S) from Japan is the only foreign team invited.

Stadiums and locations[]

Locations of the 2022 Singapore Premier League teams from Singapore
Albirex (S) Tanjong Pagar
Albirex (S)
Tanjong Pagar
Balestier Khalsa
Balestier Khalsa
Young Lions Lion City Sailors
Geylang International Tampines Rovers
Geylang International
Tampines Rovers
Hougang Utd
Hougang Utd
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2022 Singapore Premier League teams from Singapore
Team Stadium Capacity
Albirex Niigata (S) Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Balestier Khalsa Toa Payoh Stadium 3,800
Geylang International Our Tampines Hub 5,000
Hougang United Hougang Stadium 3,800
Lion City Sailors Jalan Besar Stadium 6,000
Tampines Rovers Our Tampines Hub 5,000
Tanjong Pagar United Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Young Lions Jalan Besar Stadium 6,000

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 Kazuaki Yoshinaga Japan Takahiro Koga (C)
Fairoz Hasan (VC) 		Japan Mizuno Japan Denka[9] Lensmode
Kubota
Reeracoen
Kirin
EnglishCentral
Gain City
Dpro Logistics Namics
JPLUS+
Daiho Group
JTB
NSG
Sanpoutei Ramen
Ace.dot
SMBC
ACCEA Singapore
PR Times
Nippon Medical Care
Fitogether
HIT Singapore
With You Global Creations
SD Aircon
At Twenty
Dr. Stretch
Soken Medical
Salonpas
Crown Line
SETA Technologies
One Asia Lawyers
Balestier Khalsa Singapore Akbar Nawas Japan Shuhei Hoshino (C)
Darren Teh (C)
Ho Wai Loon (C)
Germany Adidas United States Jeep Weston Corporation
Project Vaults
StarBalm
PSB Academy
TopGrid Pest
Dr. Stretch
Geylang International Singapore Mohd Noor Ali Zaiful Nizam Thailand FBT Japan Epson[10] Aris Studio 23
Joydom Engineering
My Protein Singapore
Steel Industries
Springleaf Prata Place
Fightzone
Dr. Stretch
TRUE Fitness
Hougang United Singapore Clement Teo Fabian Kwok
Lionel Tan (VC)
Nazrul Nazari (VC)
Ridhuan Barudin (VC) 		Thailand Warrix Singapore The Physio Circle[11] SportCenter by Zup
Cafe Football (CF)
The Arena
SpeedFitness
StarBalm
Polar Water
Lion City Sailors South Korea Kim Do-hoon[12] Hariss Harun
Amirul Adli (VC)
Nur Adam Abdullah (VC) 		Germany Puma Singapore SEA[13] Shopee
Garena
Citrus by the pool
WLJK
Good bites
Tampines Rovers Singapore Gavin Lee[14] Yasir Hanapi
Syazwan Buhari (VC)
Irwan Shah (VC)
Japan Kyoga Nakamura (VC) 		Japan Mizuno Japan ANA Courier Express [15] StarBalm
Rookbook
My Protein Singapore
Bauerfeind Sports
The Co-op
JSSL FC
Canadian 2 for 1 pizza
Tanjong Pagar United Singapore Faritz Abdul Hameed
Thailand FBT Japan Tokyo Century Samtrade Academy
StarBalm
Hyundai
The Rehab Lab
Singapore Young Lions Singapore Nazri Nasir Jacob Mahler
Syahrul Sazali (VC) 		United States Nike Catapult

Coaching changes[]

Team Outgoing Head Coach Manner of Departure Date of Vacancy Position in table Incoming Head Coach Date of appointment
Balestier Khalsa Croatia Marko Kraljević Contract Ended 10 October 2021[16][17] Pre-Season Singapore Akbar Nawas 22 October 2021[18]
Albirex Niigata (S) Japan Keiji Shigetomi Redesignated as Asst. Coach 26 October 2021[19] Pre-Season Japan Kazuaki Yoshinaga 26 October 2021[20]
Young Lions Singapore Philippe Aw[21] End of caretaker role 31 December 2021 Pre-Season Singapore Nazri Nasir 1 January 2022

Note 1: Marko Kraljević was subsequently appointed as the Head, Youth for Hougang United.

Transfers[]

Further information: List of Singaporean football transfer 2022

Foreign players[]

Singapore Premier League clubs can sign a maximum of four foreign players in the 2021 season, up from three as compared to 2019.[22] However, one of them has to be 21 years old or younger on 1 January 2021 (Or at the age of registration).

Albirex Niigata can sign up unlimited number of Singaporean players for the new season. Only 2 local player above 23 years old is allowed.[23]

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

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC Player SG U-23 Player
U-21 Player 		Former Players
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) Singapore Hyrulnizam Juma'at[24] Singapore Fairoz Hassan[25] Singapore Fikri Junaidi[26] Singapore
Singapore Nicky Singh[27] Singapore Junki Yoshimura[28] Singapore [29] Singapore
Singapore Hilman Norhisam[30] Singapore [29] Singapore [31] Singapore [29]
Balestier Khalsa Serbia Ensar Brunčević[32] Japan Shuhei Hoshino[33] Japan Ryoya Tanigushi[34] Japan Kuraba Kondo[35] France
England
England
Geylang International Croatia Šime Žužul[36] France Vincent Bezecourt[37] Japan Takahiro Tezuka[38] Japan Rio Sakuma[39]
Hougang United Brazil André Moritz[40] Brazil Pedro Bortoluzo[41] Croatia Kristijan Krajček[42] Japan Kaishu Yamazaki[43]
Lion City Sailors Brazil Diego Lopes[44] Brazil Pedro Henrique[45] Belgium Maxime Lestienne[46][47] South Korea Kim Shin-wook[48][49]
Tampines Rovers Serbia Zehrudin Mehmedović[50] Montenegro Boris Kopitović[50] Japan Kyoga Nakamura[51] Japan Shuya Yamashita[52]
Tanjong Pagar United Croatia [53] Australia Blake Ricciuto Japan Reo Nishiguchi[54] Japan Shodai Nishikawa[55]

Note 1: From 2021, Albirex is allowed to sign a maximum of 2 Singaporean players above the age of 23.

Results[]

League table[]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Tanjong Pagar United 3 2 1 0 9 5 +4 7 Qualification for AFC Champions League play-off round
2 Japan Albirex Niigata (S)[a] 3 2 0 1 11 2 +9 6
3 Lion City Sailors 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2 6 Standby team for AFC Cup group stage
4 Hougang United 3 1 1 1 6 7 −1 4
5 Geylang International 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3
6 Tampines Rovers 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1
7 Balestier Khalsa 3 0 1 2 5 13 −8 1
8 Singapore Young Lions[a] 1 0 0 1 0 5 −5 0
Updated to match(es) played on 3 April 2021. Source: Singapore Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of wins
Notes:
  1. ^ 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.

Fixtures and results[]

Clubs will play each other three times for 21 matches each.

Statistics[]

Top scorers[]

As of 13 March 2022
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Japan Kodai Tanaka Albirex Niigata (S) 6
2 Japan Reo Nishiguchi Tanjong Pagar United 3
3 Japan Shuhei Hoshino Balestier Khalsa 2
Brazil André Moritz Hougang United
South Korea Kim Shin-wook Lion City Sailors
Croatia Tanjong Pagar United

Hat-tricks[]

Player For Against Result Date Reference
Japan Kodai Tanaka 4 Albirex Niigata (S) Balestier Khalsa 6–0 5 March 2022 [56]

Note 4 Player scored 4 goals

Top assists[]

As of 12 March 2022
Rank Player Club Assists
1 Japan Kan Kobayashi Albirex Niigata (S) 2
Japan Masahiro Sugita Albirex Niigata (S)
Japan Tadanari Lee Albirex Niigata (S)
Darren Teh Balestier Khalsa
Sahil Suhaimi Hougang United
Croatia Tanjong Pagar United
Japan Reo Nishiguchi Tanjong Pagar United

Clean sheets[]

As of 13 March 2022
Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1 Japan Takahiro Koga Albirex Niigata (S) 2
2 Singapore Zaiful Nizam Geylang International 1
Singapore Hassan Sunny Lion City Sailors
Singapore Zharfan Rohaizad Tanjong Pagar United

Penalty missed[]

Player For Against Date
Singapore Jacob Mahler Young Lions FC Albirex Niigata (S) 12 March 2022

Awards[]

Monthly awards[]

Month Player of the Month Young Player of the Month Coach of the Month Goal of the Month Ref
Player Club Player Club Coach Club Player vs.
March


References[]

  1. ^ "FAS concludes 39th Annual Congress with key regulation updates for 2022 season".
  2. ^ Football: Goodbye S-League, welcome Singapore Premier League Straits Times, 21 March 2018
  3. ^ "Young footballers to take centrestage in revamped 2018 S-League". TODAYonline.
  4. ^ "Signing with Fairoz Hasan for 2021 season!". Albirex Niigata Singapore Official website.
  5. ^ "Football: Singapore Premier League clubs given wearable tech in bid to raise fitness, standards". The Straits Times. February 4, 2021.
  6. ^ "2021 Singapore Premier League season to kick off on 13 March - Football Association of Singapore". spl.sg.
  7. ^ "2021 SPL Handbook" (PDF).
  8. ^ "SPL Under-23 quota reduced from 3 to 1; clubs to be rewarded for youth development".
  9. ^ "New Main Partner is Denka Chemicals Holdings Asia Pacific Pte Ltd!".
  10. ^ "'SPL had Covid protocols right'". The Straits Times. February 6, 2021.
  11. ^ "Cheetah three-year sponsorship deal with The Physio Circle".
  12. ^ "AFC Champions League winner Kim Do-hoon takes charge of Lion City Sailors".
  13. ^ "Football: Singapore tech firm Sea takes ownership of Home United; club changes name to Lion City Sailors FC". CNA.
  14. ^ "Head Coach Gavin Lee has pledged his immediate future to the club till 2024". Archived from the original on 2021-12-24.
  15. ^ "We Forge Ahead With ANA Courier Express - Introducing Our Main Sponsor For The Next Three Years!".
  16. ^ "Marko Kraljevic, who is set to be replaced by Akbar Nawas after this season".
  17. ^ "Marko Kraljević leaves Balestier Khalsa".
  18. ^ "Akbar Nawas takes charge at Balestier Khalsa".
  19. ^ "Thank you, Head Coach Shigetomi!".
  20. ^ "NEW Head Coach of 2022 is YOSHINAGA Kazuaki!".
  21. ^ "Phillippe Aw to take charge of Young Lions for 2021 SPL season – Football Association of Singapore". spl.sg.
  22. ^ "Football: Singapore Premier League increases foreign player quota for 2020 season". CNA.
  23. ^ "Football: Albirex Niigata could sign up to four Singaporean players in a boost for 2019 SEA Games". The Straits Times. December 12, 2018.
  24. ^ "Signing with Hyrulnizam Juma'at for 2022 season!".
  25. ^ "Signing with Fairoz Hasan for 2022 season!".
  26. ^ "Fikri Junaidi signs for 2022 season!".
  27. ^ "Nicky Melvin Singh signs for 2022 season!".
  28. ^ "Junki from ANFC(S) U-17 joins the training with our SPL Team for 2021!". Albirex Niigata Singapore Official website.
  29. ^ a b c "4 Players from ANFC(S) U-17 joins the training with our SPL Team for 2021!". Albirex Niigata Singapore Official website.
  30. ^ "Hilman Norhisam signs for 2022 season!".
  31. ^ "Irsyad Azarudin from ANFC(S) U-17 joins the training with our SPL Team for 2021!".
  32. ^ "Boost for the