Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are looking forward to playing for their Singapore fans again as they return to the Singapore Sports Hub’s National Stadium after a four-year absence. Spurs will battle 2021 Singapore Premier League champions Lion City Sailors for the Tiger Cup on 26 July in the first match of the week-long Singapore Festival of Football Driven by CDG Zig.

At a pre-match press conference for the Tiger Cup on Tuesday (25 July), Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou noted that the cancellation of his team’s match in Bangkok was not ideal, saying: “It’s fair to say the players probably paid the biggest price because we worked pretty hard the last couple of days to compensate for the fact that we haven’t had a game. I would have preferred playing the game rather than the sort of training we’ve had, but it’s been good in terms of just trying to get some more work into the boys, and they’ve been really good. Obviously, the conditions here are still quite humid and warm, but we’ve had a really strong session yesterday. We’re looking forward to the game tomorrow. Every time we get an opportunity to play abroad in front of fans who don’t get the chance to see us regularly is a great opportunity for us to show our abilities, and it’s a great way for us to finish off the tour and get the team out.”

Midfielder Oliver Skipp added: “We’re really excited to be here. I think that it’s my third time being here; I came once with the academy and once with the first team. We always feel really welcome here and we’re very aware of the fans that we have in these areas. It’s nice to be able to give back with our time and get good games in these countries. We’ve really felt your love and support in Singapore.”

Skipp and his teammates experienced the fan support first-hand during the team’s Open Training session at the National Stadium on Tuesday, where the crowd waved jerseys and banners as the players practised on the pitch. 

For the Lion City Sailors, facing-off against a top English team at the iconic National Stadium presents a thrilling challenge. Lion City Sailors captain Hariss Harun said: “It’s an opposition of an incredible standard and I think the team is really looking forward to challenging themselves against players who compete at the highest level of the Premier League. They’re in pre-season mode but it’s going to be a challenge for us and we’re looking forward to a good game out there tomorrow.”

The Tiger Cup kicks off at 7.30pm on 26 July. The week-long football fiesta will also feature Spurs’ fellow Premier League giants Liverpool FC, who will play two matches at the National Stadium. The Reds will defend their Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy against Leicester City FC on 30 July before facing Bundesliga champions FC Bayern Munich in the Singapore Trophy presented by Audi and Standard Chartered on 2 August. The Reds will also hold an Open Training Session on 29 July at the National Stadium.

Off the pitch, fans are encouraged to attend the Football Interactive Fanzone, which will be open on match days, Liverpool FC’s open training day, and 1 August prior to the Liverpool FC and FC Bayern Munich game. Fans will get the chance to meet club legends, giving them a once-in-a-lifetime moment with their football heroes. There will be photobooths, giveaways and performances, along with Q&A sessions with club legends. Fans can also meet the team mascots including Tottenham’s Chirpy and Lily, Mighty Red of Liverpool FC and FC Bayern Munich’s Berni.

Image Credit: Singapore Festival of Football Driven By CDG Zig

The 2023 Singapore Festival of Football runs from 26th July to 2nd August 2023 at the National Stadium. Tickets available here

The full schedule of the Singapore Festival of Football Driven by CDG Zig is as follows:

Day	Date	Singapore Festival of Football	Time
Wed	26-Jul	SFOF Fanzone  Tottenham Hotspur vs Lion City Sailors	1500 – 2000 Kick-Off: 1930
Sat	29-Jul	SFOF Fanzone Open Training – Liverpool FC	1500 – 2030 2030 – 2130
Sun	30-Jul	SFOF Fanzone Liverpool FC vs Leicester City FC	1230 – 1730 Kick-Off: 1700
Tue	1-Aug	SFOF Fanzone	1500 – 2000
Wed	2-Aug	SFOF Fanzone Liverpool FC vs FC Bayern Munich	1500 – 2000 Kick-Off: 1930