Expanded competition format for 2022 Singapore Premier League!
(Hassan Sunny - Captain, Lion City Sailors after winning the 2021 SPL title. Photo Credit : Football Association of Singapore)
SINGAPORE, 25 JANUARY 2022 – Defending AIA Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions Lion City Sailors will face off against Albirex Niigata (S) on 19 February 2022 in the AIA Community Shield to kickstart the domestic season.
The Community Shield serves as the traditional curtain-raiser for the new SPL season and will be held at Jalan Besar Stadium, with kick-off scheduled at 5.30pm. The standalone fixture returns for the 14th time after its pandemic-enforced absence in 2020 and 2021.
QUADRUPLE ROUND-ROBIN FORMAT
The 27th SPL season will then start on 25 February with a mouth-watering trio of matches. Albirex Niigata (S) will first host Tanjong Pagar United at the Jurong East Stadium, before Balestier Khalsa and Tampines Rovers meet at Toa Payoh Stadium the next day. On Sunday, the Lion City Sailors square off against Hougang United to round off Matchweek 1.
This season will see a change from a triple round-robin format to a quadruple one that ends in mid-October. The increase in number of matches is designed to inject a higher level of competition, while also allowing players to earn more minutes on the pitch. The full list of fixtures can be found here.
INCREASE IN NUMBER OF SUBSTITUTES
Following the increase in number of matches played, 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. All these changes are in line with prevailing guidelines from the International Football Association Board.
CHANGE IN YOUTH QUOTA
As announced during the 39th FAS Annual Congress last year, the 2022 SPL season will see a revised quota with clubs required to field a minimum of one Under-23 player of Singaporean nationality for the entire duration of the first half. This marks a reduction from the original quota of three, which was first introduced in the 2018 SPL season.
RETURN OF SINGAPORE CUP
The year will round off with the return of the Singapore Cup, slated to commence on 25 October, which will result in over 120 matches being scheduled for this year’s domestic season. The 23rd edition of the tournament will see teams competing in a single-round group stage. The top two teams in each of the two groups will then progress to the semi-finals, which will be played in a home and away two-legged knockout format.
FAN ENTRY
Similar to the previous season, up to 1,000 spectators will be allowed at each match. Fans will have to produce proof of certification of having received the full two doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna COVID-19 or any World Health Organisation’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) vaccines such as the Sinovac-CoronaVac, Sinopharm and AstraZeneca vaccines, in order to gain entry. Children aged 12 years old and below, regardless of their vaccination status, will be required to be accompanied with a fully-vaccinated adult in order to gain entry. For the most updated information, fans are strongly advised to refer to the Safe Management Measures for Sport and Physical Exercise & Activity for the Transition Phase from Sport Singapore here.
In line with the government posture, from 14 February, those aged 18 and above will have to take a booster shot within 270 days of completing their primary vaccination series (two doses) in order to maintain a fully-vaccinated status against COVID-19. The new rule will apply to those whose second vaccine dose was taken on 20 May 2021 or before.
Tickets will be priced at a baseline of S$10.00 for adults and S$5.00 for concession; however, clubs reserve the right to amend pricing with a maximum price cap of S$15.00 and will also undertake all ticketing operations. Fans are advised to check in with the respective home clubs for specific ticketing details including sales channels. A wrist tag will be issued per ticket-holder at the point of the entry to the match to allow access to the venue.
Fans who enter will be subjected to safe-distancing protocols as well as the usual security protocols at matches, which include bag checks. As such, fans are advised not to bring bags, as well as prohibited items, when attending the matches. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid crowding. Social distancing shall be enforced in seating plans and allocation, all individuals are required to always wear their masks, and food and beverages will not be allowed into the stadiums. Musical instruments may be allowed into the stadium on a case-by-case basis only after prior approval by authorities is given; banners and flags which do not contravene the security measures will be allowed into the stadium.
LIVE BROADCAST OF SPL
As with previous seasons, SPL fans will continue to be able to watch every match LIVE on broadcast via Singtel TV and StarHub TV, as well as live streaming online via the SPL Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Events & Programmes
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Articles
View AllRelated Topics
[BlogPost 164438712123 NSG 2024 Badminton: Senior Div Girls Quarter-Finals, BlogPost 164238055490 Evergreen Aleksandar Duric Still Making Headlines at 53, BlogPost 164170080646 NSG 2024 Rope Skipping: Junior Div Girls Freestyle Team Finals, BlogPost 162884973666 Move and Rest Better With Data From Your Own Body, BlogPost 163393049482 Life Comes Full Circle For Serangoon Garden Secondary School's Fahrish Khan, BlogPost 163258797651 Making Golf a Sport for All, BlogPost 162512222328 NSG 2024 Sepaktakraw: Senior Div Yuhua Primary School vs Qihua Primary School, BlogPost 162233592997 Gritty Lions Suffer Loss to China, BlogPost 162089384371 On Your Mark, Get Ready, Go Running, BlogPost 161670652697 Lions' Excellent Showing Against China, BlogPost 161435270031 Ogura Optimistic for Exciting Clash against China, BlogPost 161127614758 The Future of Basketball in Singapore: Why 3x3 is Here to Stay, BlogPost 161033673012 The Active Lifestyler's Guide to the New ActiveSG Delta Sport Centre, BlogPost 161128356680 Grand New Champions Crowned at WTT Singapore Smash 2024, BlogPost 160844835218 NSG 2024 Table Tennis: C Div Boys Pool Round, BlogPost 160210745115 NSG 2024 Basketball: Senior Div Girls Tampines Primary School vs Frontier Primary School, BlogPost 159881180544 Whirlwind Return to Women's Football, BlogPost 159633541417 Singapore Smash to Elevate a New Legacy, BlogPost 158983580420 NSG 2024 Rugby: B Div Damai Secondary School vs Peirce Secondary School, BlogPost 159003960202 SFA Fiesta: Kicking off 2024 to a Roaring Start, BlogPost 158830735126 NSG 2024 Football: B Div Girls Preliminary Round Meridian Secondary School VS Bowen Secondary School, BlogPost 158536989718 Team Nila Volunteers Recognized At Awards Ceremony, BlogPost 158270107806 NSG 2024 Hockey: B Div Boys Preliminary Round Raffles Institution VS St. Hilda Secondary School, BlogPost 157966862615 NSG 2024 Floorball: B Division Preliminary Rounds Kick Off!, BlogPost 157562433712 What Is Safe Sport?, BlogPost 157559446197 Sengkang Secondary: Cultivating Well-Rounded Footballers, BlogPost 157368261167 New National Training Centre for Cricket at West Coast Ground, BlogPost 155340164987 Active Ageing with Joey Bonifacio, BlogPost 155930815517 Inaugural Singapore Youth League kicks off from 24th February 2024, BlogPost 155340164727 Bukit Canberra : the Coolest Spot in the North, BlogPost 155368905255 How Padang Fandi Inspired Ayden to Chase his Dream, BlogPost 154755572826 Ageing Backwards with Elizabeth Cheang, BlogPost 154094657315 Running For Fitness, BlogPost 153318636178 Excitement Builds for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024, BlogPost 153198644247 World's Top Four Confirmed for 2024 HSBC Women's World Championship, BlogPost 149413941770 Cultivating Your Kids’ Interest in the Outdoors, BlogPost 149413941163 Making Sport More Appealing for Our Kids, BlogPost 149412549409 Solo Or Team Sport – Choosing the Best for Your Child, BlogPost 151197478798 Former Lions Stalwart Baihakki Khaizan Sheds Light on New Accreditation to Elevate Grassroots Football and Youth Development, BlogPost 80703591291 New Year, Fitter You! Here are the top 3 workouts for the New Year, BlogPost 81171151456 7 Reasons Why Sports are Great for Children’s Mental Health, BlogPost 80542065330 17 Best Yoga Classes & Studios in Singapore [+ Rating & Prices], BlogPost 149404351798 From Brush to Lens: A Student's Journey in the World of Art and Sports Photography, BlogPost 149402825063 The Benefits of Active Parenting, BlogPost 149397832009 Sweden Claim 9th Straight Gold at the Women's World Floorball Championship, BlogPost 149397831449 Lion City Sailors Win 2023 Singapore Cup, BlogPost 148511324266 Pitch Perfect with Jonathan Teo, BlogPost 148511724402 Seniors: Increase your flexibility bit by bit with these stretches, BlogPost 147866574167 A Valuable Experience In Spain for Singapore's National Development Centre U-14 Boys, BlogPost 146915317264 How one magical Kallang night changed the lives of Abirami and Daania forever]