Updates on the review by the Football Association of Singapore following the Phnom Penh 2023 SEA Games and the naturalisation of foreign players

Written PQ 3101. Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether the Ministry is able to provide any updates from the review by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) on the performance of our football team at the Southeast Asia Games 2023; (b) in light of other countries naturalising foreign players, whether SportSG is planning to work with the FAS to restart such a scheme to improve our performance; and (c) if so, will it consider implementing an accelerated process to citizenship for talented players to play for Singapore.

1. The work of the panel commissioned by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to review the football team's performance is still ongoing.It expects to release its findings in July.

2. Growing our pipeline of local talent is the key thrust to our long-term strategy to uplift Singapore football. We will, however, not rule out continuing to work with FAS to assess and naturalise foreign players who have both the talent and the heart to represent Singapore.

   1. In the past, these have included Daniel Bennett and Mustafic Fahrudin, Song Uiyoung and Aleksander Duric.While Aleksander has since retired from competitive play, he continues to contribute to Singapore football in his capacity now as Principal of our ActiveSG Football Academy.

   2. It is important that beyond sporting abilities, these players must demonstrate that they are prepared to take up the duties and responsibilities that come with citizenship, and have shown their ability to integrate into our society.

3. Therefore, while we will tap on our foreign sports talent scheme to support our football objectives, we need to do so at a posture and pace that reflects the wider considerations of our sporting policies, as well as the granting of Singaporean citizenship.