Singapore qualifying for the Asian Cup

ICYMI, Singapore men’s national football team, dubbed the Lions, beat Hong Kong with a 2-1 win at the Asian Cup match on 18th November 2025 – allowing Singapore to qualify for the Asian Cup. If you don’t understand how big a deal it is, don’t worry. These are all you need to know so you can blend in with your football kakis before the 2027 Finals in Saudi Arabia. And who knows, you might even turn into a real fan.

1. What is the Asian Cup?

Image credit: @gavin13lee via Instagram

The Asian Cup is a football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that takes place every 4 years. It’s where the best players across Asia represent their countries and battle it out on the pitch.

Currently, the Asian Cup is in its 3rd round of qualifiers. Several teams have made it through the first 2 rounds, which also served as the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Saudi Arabia, the host of the Asian Cup, received automatic eligibility.

24 other teams are split into groups of 4, and they’re ranked according to points: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Only the winning team of each group will qualify for the Finals.

2. Why was it a big deal when Singapore qualified for the Asian Cup?

Image credit: @gavin13lee via Instagram

It’s no exaggeration when you hear uncles say that the Lions made history. Since the inception of the Asian Cup in 1956, Singapore has never made it past the qualifiers – technically. The only other time Singapore played during the Asian Cup was when it gained automatic qualification by hosting it in 1984.

As of writing, Singapore has bagged 3 wins and 2 draws, totalling 11 points and topping the group. No matter the outcome of the upcoming match against Bangladesh, the Lions have already secured their spot in the 2027 Finals.

3. Does the Singapore national team have fan chants?

While you can go “Ole, ole ole ole…”, there are actually fan chants by supporters that you can learn before the Lions’ next match. There are 13 different chants, but don’t worry if you don’t remember them. If you want to learn a few, try starting with Satu Nada, Yuh Ayuh, and Red Is My Blood.

Supporters who flew to Hong Kong to watch the match.
Image credit: Football Association of Singapore via Facebook

Singa Brigade, a non-profit group of local football supporters, have compiled a list of chants for you to show support to the Lions. The full lyrics of the chants can be found on Singa Brigade’s website.

4. Who’s on the Singapore men’s national team?

Singapore men’s national team.
Image credit: Football Association of Singapore

The Singapore men’s national team comprises players from local clubs and Singaporeans representing overseas football clubs. This is the list of players and the clubs they play in:

And if the last name “Fandi” sounds familiar, Ikhsan and Ilhan Fandi are the sons of local football legend Fandi Ahmad. They’re also the brothers of actress and singer Iman Fandi.

5. Who’s the head coach of the Singapore men’s national team?

Gavin Lee, head coach of the national men’s team.
Image credit: Football Association of Singapore via Facebook

Following the Lions’ historic win over Hong Kong, Gavin Lee was appointed the permanent head coach. Before being the head coach, he was part of former head coach Tsutomu Ogura’s staff since March 2024. He eventually became an assistant to Tsutomu and took up the role of interim head coach after Tsutomu stepped down in June 2025.

Gavin Lee (left) with supporters at Changi Airport after the Lions’ win against Hong Kong.
Image credit: Football Association of Singapore via Facebook

Tsutomu previously led the Lions to a 2-1 win over Bangladesh in an Asian Cup qualifier, laying a strong foundation for the team, and Gavin was there to build on it. At only 35 years old, he has definitely made his mark in Singapore’s history. With an 18-month contract as the permanent head coach, he’ll be leading the Lions all the way to Saudi Arabia.

6. Where to buy the Singapore national team jersey?

Away jersey.
Image credit: Football Association of Singapore via Facebook

Similar to wearing band tees of your favourite artists, you can show your support and Singapore pride by wearing the official jersey of the Lions. There are 2 different jersey designs: blue for away matches and red for home matches – in simpler terms, when they play overseas and in Singapore.

You can purchase officially licensed jerseys from the Weston Corp website, the Football Association of Singapore’s Shopee page, or from the Crown Sports website. However, since the team’s glorious win against Hong Kong, most sizes of the football jersey are sold out.

7. When is Singapore’s next match during the Asian Cup?

Image credit: Football Association of Singapore via Facebook

The Lions’ next match is against Bangladesh on 31st March 2026. While the team knows they’re going to the Finals, it’s a good opportunity for fans to practise the chants and don the jersey to support the team. At the time of writing, the match time and venue have not been confirmed.

The Finals in Saudi Arabia will take place from 7th January to 5th February 2027.

8. Where to watch the Asian Cup?

Fans celebrating at Bishan Community Club.
Image credit: Football Association of Singapore via Facebook

The Lions have already played 5 matches for the Asian Cup qualifiers – catch previous full matches, highlights, moments or stream upcoming matches on the meWATCH website.

For the full experience, head down with other fans to sports bars or watch parties at community clubs. Location updates can be found on the Football Association of Singapore website.

Supporting the Singapore national football team at the Asian Cup

This is a new era for Singapore football, and there’s no better time to celebrate our national team. With a flood of new fans, qualifying for the Asian Cup might garner more support from the government and even inspire a new generation of footballers. Now, the Lions can bask in their glory, and we’ll be there supporting them when they play in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

For more sports reads:

• Futsal courts in Singapore
• Pickleball courts in Singapore
• Badminton courts in Singapore

Cover image adapted from: @gavin13lee via Instagram, Football Association of Singapore via Facebook