Singapore Cup returns after 2-year hiatus; Lion City Sailors grouped with Albirex Niigata

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, fans can finally look forward to the thrills and spills of the Singapore Cup – the country’s top-tier football cup competition which is set to kick off on Oct 27.

The draw for the tournament was conducted at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday (Sep 27), with all eight teams in the Singapore Premier League contesting for the cup. Unlike previous editions, no foreign teams will take part in this year’s tournament.

The Singapore Cup will be played in a round-robin format this year, with the top two teams from both groups advancing into the knock-out rounds. 

The group stages of the tournament will end on Nov 6, with the double-legged semi-finals scheduled for Nov 11 and 15. The third place-playoff will be played on Nov 18, with the final set for Nov 19. 

Young Lions and Balestier Khalsa have been drawn into Group A, along with reigning SPL champions Lion City Sailors and four-time cup winners Albirex Niigata.

Group B consists of holders Tampines Rovers, Tanjong Pagar United, Hougang United and Geylang International.

The competition was last won by Tampines Rovers back in 2019.

Home United, the previous iteration of the Sailors, is the most successful team in the competition, having lifted the cup six times since its 1998 inception.

Tampines Rovers is the next joint-most successful team in the competition alongside Warriors FC, which is sitting out of the professional league due to financial problems, with both teams winning the cup four times.

The other three local teams that have lifted the cup are Geylang International, Tanjong Pagar United and Balestier Khalsa.