April 16 – The Singapore Festival of Football is set for a long-term revival following the signing of a five-year partnership between TEG Sport and the Singapore Tourism Board. The pre-season event, which previously attracted strong crowds and top European clubs, will return this July with Arsenal, Newcastle United and AC Milan confirmed to take part.
Under the terms of the agreement, the festival will be held in alternate years through to 2029, with the upcoming edition centred once again at the 55,000-seat National Stadium.
Arsenal will face AC Milan on July 23 before hosting an open training session on July 25. The Premier League side will then meet Newcastle United in an all-English clash on July 27.
The Gunners, last visited Singapore in 2018 for the International Champions Cup.
The festival was last staged in July 2023, featuring Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Bayern Munich. The event drew strong attendances, with 49,983 fans watching Bayern’s 4-3 win over Liverpool, and 25,095 in attendance for Tottenham’s 5-1 victory over local side Lion City Sailors.
This year marks AC Milan’s first appearance in Singapore, while Newcastle United return for the first time since 1996, when they played against an S-League All-Stars team.
Timothy Ho, managing director, TEG Asia, said: “The nation’s location, efficiency and passion for European football make it a natural spot for teams to conduct their preseason training and connect with their fans in South-east Asia.
“This is not the first time we’ve brought European football clubs to Singapore and this partnership will allow us to continue allowing fans here to enjoy world-class football on a regular basis.”
Melissa Ow, chief executive, STB, expects the partnership to add to Singapore’s “vibrant calendar and also reinforces Singapore’s appeal as a must-visit destination”.
The return of the Festival underlines Singapore’s ambition to be a regional hub for top-tier football content, with the long-term sporting and tourism benefits that brings.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1745023159labto1745023159ofdlr1745023159owedi1745023159sni@g1745023159niwe.1745023159yrrah1745023159
