Lion City Sailors to play Borussia Dortmund at Jalan Besar Stadium on Nov 24, tickets start at $13

Lion City Sailors will take on eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Nov 24. 

The friendly is part of Dortmund’s Southeast Asia Tour, which spans from Nov 21 to Dec 1. The German club is expected to stay in Singapore for five days before flying off to Indonesia and Vietnam.

The game kicks off at 8:30 pm. Spectators can view the game from two sections of the stands – the Gallery and the Grandstand.

Tickets for the Gallery are priced at $25 for adults and $13 for children and senior citizens, while tickets for the Grandstand are priced at $35 for adults and $18 for children and senior citizens. There is also a corporate hospitality package priced at $90, where fans can view the game from the Grandstand and enjoy a meal and two drinks.

Early bird sales will run from Sep 30 to Oct 24, with a 15 per cent discount on all tickets.

Lion City Sailors Members can purchase tickets at 25 per cent off during the Early Bird sales period, with a 20 per cent discount still available for members after sales end. 

Tickets can be bought online on Sistic’s website.

At a press conference on Friday (Sep 30) held at the Sailors’ training centre at Mattar Road, both clubs announced that football fans can look forward to several initiatives during the Bundesliga side’s stay in Singapore. These include fan engagement opportunities. 

Apart from the game, Borussia Dortmund managing director Carsten Cramer and Lion City Sailors chief executive officer Chew Chun-Liang also announced that local football fans can look forward to several initiatives during Dortmund’s stay in Singapore, including fan engagement opportunities.

Mr Chew said: “It’s not just the match that we are playing, but the other interactions and programmes that will help the Sailors and Singapore football grow.

“We are looking at a meet-and-greet, having the fans come to watch the teams train and even doing community work together. These initiatives are all being discussed, and very soon, we will be able to release more details.”

When asked about the reason behind choosing Jalan Besar Stadium as the game’s venue, Mr Chew stated how it is essential to “bring fans together to watch the game and cheer together”. 

While it may not be in a large capacity such as at the National Stadium, it can still “bring out the atmosphere of the friendly match”, he said.

Mr Cramer added: “When I experienced (a game at) Jalan Besar, I was impressed with the closeness between the spectators and the players. When we (Dortmund) make trips like this, it’s important for us to get in touch with the people. If the people don’t get the feeling for the players and the club, how should they become a supporter of our club?

“Closeness and the opportunity to touch and grip the feel of the club is very important, and this stadium offers it in the perfect way.”

Sailors Captain Hariss Harun acknowledged that the game against Dortmund will pose quite a challenge for the Singapore Premier League champions, given the Germans’ quality in players and “abundance in talent”. 

However, he believes that the experience will allow the Sailors to improve. He said: “It is a challenge that we should look forward to and embrace… when you play teams like Dortmund who consistently play in the competitions like the Champions League, you can improve.”

“It makes you aware of the deficiencies you may have in your game, not just as an individual but also as a team, so we can get a lot of good out of this game.”

He added: “The game is at the end of the season right after the crucial league and cup games, so hopefully, it’s a spectacle we can give to the fans to close the season in a good way.”