Head Coach Tsutomu Ogura has named a 26-man squad for the Singapore National Team’s upcoming friendlies at the Singapore National Stadium later this month. The Lions line up against Myanmar on 14 November and Chinese Taipei on 18 November, with both matches kicking off at 8PM local time.

Kyoga Nakamura, who officially took up Singapore citizenship on 25 October, earned his first official call-up to the National Team. Known for his creativity and precise passes, the left-footed Nakamura has been actively involved with the squad in recent months as he adapts to Singapore’s playing style. He participated in a familiarisation stint with the team in September and subsequently joined the Lions for a centralised training camp in Japan in October, where he trained alongside the squad and demonstrated his ability to integrate into the team’s tactical framework.

Ogura’s selection for this window includes the recalls of seven players. Safuwan Baharudin is joined by Irfan Najeeb, Joel Chew, Nazrul Nazari, Lionel Tan, Christopher van Huizen and Shawal Anuar. This lineup reflects Ogura’s ongoing efforts to blend experienced players with emerging talent as the team prepares for the upcoming ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup (ME Cup). Singapore are in Group A along with defending champions Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Timor-Leste.

“The November window is about more than just friendly matches, it provides us critical preparation for our ME Cup campaign, giving us an important chance to test our tactics and assess our fitness,” said Ogura. Overseas players who have not yet confirmed their release for the ME Cup were not called up for this window, and FAS will continue to work closely with the clubs to discuss the possibility of the players joining the tournament.

“The ME Cup takes place outside the FIFA window, and I must thank our Singapore Premier League (SPL) clubs and overseas clubs for releasing their players so the National Team can focus on the tournament next month. This includes the Lion City Sailors, BG Tampines Rovers and Selangor, who have the additional factor of the AFC Champions League 2 tournament to contend with – we appreciate their support for the Singapore National Team.”

“We are in full preparation mode, and the players are fighting for a place in the ME Cup squad, so I want to see performances that showcase their readiness and desire to play for the flag, the fans as well as the players who are not joining us for this window,” added Ogura. The Lions will assemble for training starting on 11 November 2024 following a structured preparation schedule to ensure optimal readiness for the matches.

More information available on FAS’ website