Singapore’s next generation of footballers is getting a new platform to test their skills, with the inaugural Singapore Premier Youth League (SPYL) kicking off this weekend.

Organised by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) with support from the Unleash The Roar! national football project, the new high-performance competition brings together 57 teams across seven age groups, from Under-10 to Under-19.

The inaugural season runs from 15 August to 22 November, with teams from Singapore Premier League club academies, private football academies, the National Development Centre, Singapore Sports School and Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta’zim taking part.

The SPYL builds on the former adidas Elite Youth League, which itself began as the Youth Champions League in 2022. This new iteration expands the competition with both U-10 and U-19 categories, creating a pathway that stretches from young players taking their first steps in elite competition through to those approaching senior football.

For young footballers, regular competition against strong opposition can be just as important as training. The SPYL is designed to give Singapore’s top youth players more opportunities to play at a high level, while connecting different parts of the country’s youth football system.

Promotion and relegation will also apply between the SPYL, JSSL League and Singapore Youth League for the U-10 to U-17 age groups, adding another layer of competition and giving teams a pathway to move between the leagues.

The inclusion of JDT also gives young Singaporean players the chance to face opposition from outside the country without having to travel far.

The league isn’t just about results and trophies. Both the SPYL and Singapore Youth League will use the FAS Youth Player Profile system to monitor and track young players over time. The system allows coaches and talent identification teams to follow a player’s progress beyond individual matches and identify potential talent for the national youth set-up.

The idea is to create a more connected journey for young players as they move through different stages of development. “Player development is a long term process,” said FAS General Secretary Badri Ghent. “One of the most important things we can provide our young players with is consistent, meaningful competition.”

The first SPYL season features eight teams in each age category, with nine teams competing in the U-19 division.

The age groups are:

• Under-10
• Under-11
• Under-12
• Under-13
• Under-15
• Under-17
• Under-19

Matches will take place across five venues, including the Lion City Sailors Training Centre at Mattar Road, Kallang Football Hub, Regent Secondary School, Singapore Sports School and Woodlands Stadium.

The Under-17 competition begins on Saturday, 15 August, while the remaining age groups get underway on Sunday, 16 August.

The SPYL forms part of a wider effort to build a more sustainable youth football ecosystem in Singapore. With the Singapore Youth League providing a broader base and the SPYL positioned as the top level of youth competition, the aim is to give promising young players a clearer route towards higher levels of the game.

For fans, it also offers an opportunity to see some of Singapore’s future footballers before they reach the professional stage. And for the players themselves, the message is simple: the road to senior football starts with having somewhere to compete, grow and be challenged.

The first SPYL season kicks off on 15 August, with champions to be crowned across all seven age categories. Full fixtures, results and updates can be found at the official SPYL website or via Instagram.