SPORTS HUB TO HOST FOUR MATCHES IN MARCH AS THE HOME OF THE LIONS

SINGAPORE, 28 FEBRUARY 2018: The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and SportsHub Pte Ltd today officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to play a minimum number of matches at the Sports Hub. Alongside the MOU, the FAS and Sports Hub mooted an initiative to position the Singapore Sports Hub as the Home of the Lions. This will boost the calendar of football matches and football-related events at the Singapore Sports Hub, as well as introduce fresh branding elements at the campus to increased visibility of Singapore football.

To kick off the agreement, the National Stadium will be hosting four matches in March. The first match to be played under this agreement is a Women’s International ‘A’ Friendly match against Maldives on 5 March 2018 (please see below for the fixture list).

* Entry to this match is complimentary.  

The match will be followed by an International Friendly between Singapore and Indonesia’s Under-23 National Teams on 21 March as part of the RISING50 celebrations commemorating Singapore and Indonesia’s 50 years of warm bilateral relations (as at 2017). The series of matches will continue with an International ‘A’ Friendly between Singapore and Maldives on 23 March. The three matches will culminate in the curtain raiser match of Singapore’s professional domestic league – the Great Eastern Community Shield on 31 March. Tickets to these three matches will go on sale on Friday 9 March 2018.

FAS President Mr Lim Kia Tong said: “We are delighted and appreciative that the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Sports Hub Oon Jin Teik, has given us and our vision for Singapore football a vote of confidence and is strongly supporting us in this Memorandum. In addition, we are excited about the initiative to make the Sports Hub the ‘Home of the Lions’. More than just the Home for our National Team, the ‘Home of the Lions’ refers to the entire spectrum of the Singapore football ecosystem. We want to establish the National Stadium and Sports Hub as the venue for all aspects of Singapore football – be it Women’s, amateur or grassroots football. I hope Singaporeans will join us in our vision to build Singapore football and support the teams at the matches at the Sports Hub this March.”

Singapore Sports Hub Chief Executive Officer Mr Oon Jin Teik shared: “The Sports Hub is proud to be a partner of FAS and home to the Lions. Beyond our aspiration to be the region’s premier sports, entertainment and lifestyle destination, we are deeply passionate about supporting our local teams and cultivating a sports culture which brings our people together, as one Team Singapore. We warmly welcome the Lions and all Singaporeans to the Sports Hub, and look forward to forging great sporting memories and experiences with everyone in the exciting days ahead.”

Under the Memorandum, which has been signed for the period of three years, both organisations have committed to a minimum of seven matches to be played at the Sports Hub. The Home of the Lions initiative will run alongside the MOU. Mooted by the FAS and Sports Hub, the initiative seeks to strengthen the partnership between the two parties to reach everyone within the local football fraternity and to position the Sports Hub as the destination for football in Singapore.

Under the initiative, fans can look forward to a face-lift of specific high-traffic physical spaces within the Hub to showcase local football prominently in a concerted effort to brand the stadium as the ‘Home of the Lions’. More football activities such as football festivals and stadium tours will be held at the Sports Hub to generate deeper engagement with the community.

Commented Mr Colin Chan, Managing Director, Group Marketing, Great Eastern: “As a long-standing supporter of the S. League, we are delighted with this latest initiative by FAS and Sports Hub which augurs well for the development of football and which will bring it closer to the community. As a LIFE company, Great Eastern champions health and wellness and football is a sport which actively promotes both. This year, Great Eastern celebrates our 110th anniversary and we invite fans, young and old, to join us for the exciting Great Eastern Community Shield at the National Stadium on 31 March and bring back the Kallang Roar! Our staff and distribution partners will also be hosting several hundred needy school children at the event. I have no doubt that on and off the field, everyone will have a memorable time.”

Mr Teo Hock Seng, Group Managing Director of Komoco Holdings, the man behind Hyundai’s co-title sponsorship of the S.League, said: “Home is where the heart is. Now that Singapore football has a home again, we are on the right path in the rebuilding process. Crucially, this MOU will rebuild a sense of belonging for both the players and fans alike.

“The old National Stadium was once our happy home when the Kallang Roar reigned. Today, a new home welcomes a rejuvenation of that spirit. So back to the future, this is where Singapore football belongs.”

Entry to watch the Women’s National Team’s match against Maldives will be complimentary as a gesture to welcome all to the opening match at the Home of the Lions this year. Tickets for the other matches will go on sale on Friday 9 March 2018.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

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For more information, please contact the following FAS & Sports Hub Media Officers: 

ABOUT FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE 

The Football Association of Singapore is responsible for developing and advancing the game at all levels. Providing a structure for the game to flourish and governing the running of football in Singapore, the FAS also ensures that the Laws of the Game are adhered to, from the professional S.League to amateur leagues. 

The FAS also manages the organisation and running of league and cup competitions, the stewardship of international teams, the establishment of youth development, women's football, refereeing and coaching frameworks. 

The mission of the FAS is to enhance lives by leading innovative development of competitive and recreational football in Singapore together with all our partners." 

ABOUT SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB 

The Singapore Sports Hub is a fully integrated sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub, with programming that comprises world-class recreational and competitive events, as well as community events, to serve children, youth, working adults, seniors, families, and less privileged population segments in Singapore and tourism sectors. 

Consisting of a unique cluster development of world-class sports facilities within the city, it plays a critical role in accelerating the development of Singapore’s sports industry, excellence and participation. Its vision is to be the region’s premier sports, entertainment and lifestyle destination. 

Located on a 35-hectare site in Kallang, the Singapore Sports Hub includes the following facilities: 

• A new 55,000-capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof and movable tiered seating designed to host Football, Rugby, Athletics, Cricket, entertainment events, and many more 

• The 11,000-capacity iconic Singapore Indoor Stadium for sports and entertainment events 

• A 6,000-capacity OCBC Aquatic Centre that can host international events and public swims 

• A 3,000-capacity OCBC Arena with six halls that are scalable and flexible in layout 

• Water Sports Centre featuring kayaking, canoeing, dragon boating, and pedal boating 

• 41,000 sqm Kallang Wave Mall, including indoor climbing wall 

• Splash-N-Surf facility featuring the Kids Water Playground, Stingray and Lazy River 

• 100PLUS Promenade that encircles the National Stadium 

• Singapore Sports Museum and Singapore Youth Olympic Games Museum 

• Shimano Cycling World 

• Sports Hub Library 

• Daily community facilities and activities, including beach volleyball, hard courts (futsal, basketball and netball), lawn bowls, giant chess, skate park and running & cycling paths 

• Large waterfront and precinct spaces (e.g. OCBC Square, Arena Park, Stadium Roar) 

The Singapore Sports Hub, managed by SportsHub Pte Ltd, is one of the largest Public-Private Partnership (PPP) social infrastructure projects in the world. It is also Singapore's largest flagship PPP project of this nature, and has won the Project Finance International (PFI) award in London in 2011, World Architecture Festival Awards for Best Future Project in the leisure-led development category in 2013, and Sports Building of the Year in 2014. 

For more information, please visit the Singapore Sports Hub: 

• Website: www.sportshub.com.sg 

• Facebook: sporesportshub 

• Twitter: @sgsportshub 

• Instagram: sgsportshub