Singapore Football League

The Singapore Football League (SFL) is a semi-professional football tournament for clubs that are affiliated to the Football Association of Singapore.[1] It makes up the second and third tier of football in Singapore after the professional Singapore Premier League, which was established in 1996 and before the FAS Island Wide League.[2] The teams are also eligible to compete in the Singapore FA Cup.[2]

Singapore Football League
Organising bodyFootball Association of Singapore
Founded1975 (1975) (as National Football League)
2020 (2020) (as Singapore Football League)
CountrySingapore
Number of teams8 (Division 1), 10 (Division 2)
Level on pyramid2–3 (provisionally)
Promotion toSingapore Premier League
Relegation toSingapore Island Wide League
Domestic cup(s)Singapore FA Cup
SFL Challenge Cup
(invitational)
Current championsSingapore Khalsa Association
(Division 1)
Jungfrau Punggol
(Division 2)
Most championshipsSingapore Cricket Club
(9 titles in Division 1)
Singapore Chinese
(4 titles in Division 2), (3 titles in Division 3)
WebsiteDivision 1
Division 2
Current: 2023 Singapore Football League

Although it is semi-professional competition organized by the FAS, several former Singapore internationals and ex-S.League players have played in the league such as Jonathan Xu, Indra Sahdan Daud, Precious Emuejeraye and Ahmad Latiff (Eunos Crescent), Yazid Yasin (Gymkhana FC) and Zulkiffli Hassim (Yishun Sentek Mariners).

History

The history of the National Football League (NFL) can be traced back to the earliest 20th century during the British colonization of Singapore, whereby the Singapore Amateur Football Association (SAFA) was formed in year of 1892. SAFA was responsible for organising the top tier football leagues in Singapore with NFL as the top tier football league from early 20th century, until the formation of FAS Premier League in 1988. It was previously made up of Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3, with the bottom team of Division 3 being relegated to the FAS Island Wide League.

As of 2018, it makes up provisional tiers 2 and 3, behind the professional Singapore Premier League, with rules of promotion and relegation applied for teams in NFL Division One and NFL Division Two. Teams play two-round league home-away format. League features promotions and relegations for all the teams in both divisions, where the top two teams of a division will be promoted to the upper division, and the last two relegated to the lower division.

In 2020, the NFL was renamed as Singapore Football League (SFL).[3] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, the first season of SFL started in 2022.[3]

Division 1 clubs as of 2023

Division 2 clubs as of 2023

Active Island Wide League clubs
  • Bedok South Avenue SC
  • Boon Keng SRC
  • Bukit Timah FC (The Northern Stallions)
  • Commonwealth Cosmos
  • East Coast United
  • GDT Circuit FC (Pink Roses)
  • Geylang Serai FC
  • GFA Victoria FC
  • Gymkhana FC
  • Marsiling Causeway Bay (The Wildcats)
  • Pasirian Lions FC (Viva Lions)
  • Prison SRC
  • Simei United (The Sabres)
  • Tanah Merah United (The Oryx)
  • Verde Cresta Combined SC
  • Winchester Isla FC
  • Woodlands Rangers
  • Woodlands United
  • Woodlands Warriors
  • Yishun FC (The Northern Pride)

Former clubs

Past champions

In 1975, the Football Association of Singapore revamped the existing league structure involving 118 teams into a two-tier league system.[19] For the 1987 season, the teams play each other once in a league format. The top eight placed teams in the league progressed to a knock-out stage to determine the champions.[20] League stage winners Tiong Bahru defeated 4th-placed Tampines Rovers 2–1 in the final to clinch the championship.[21][22] Reference:[23] The top tier of the football league system was replaced by the FAS Premier League from 1988, the S.League from 1996 and the Singapore Premier League from 2018.

Stadium

Vacant stadiums used

Current Singapore Premier League clubs stadium used

See also

References
  1. "National Football League". Football Association of Singapore. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  2. "Singapore's very own National Football League".
  3. Ilmi, Zahin (2 June 2022). "Singapore Football League to kick off on Jun 4, 1st edition under new name". youthopia.sg. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  4. "Katong FC (@katongfc) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  5. "JungfrauPunggolFC (@jungfraupunggolfootballclub) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  6. "ProjectVaultsOxleySportsClub (@pvosc) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  7. "SCC SFL (@sccsfl) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  8. "SingaporeKhalsaFootball (@skafootball) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  9. "Tiong Bahru FC (@tiongbahrufc) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  10. "Warwick Knights (@warwick_knights) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  11. "Yishun Sentek Mariners FC (@yishunsentekmarinersfc) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  12. "Admiralty CSN (@admiralty_csn) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  13. "(@bishanbarxfc) | Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  14. "GFA Singapore (since 2005) (@globalfootballacademysg) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  15. "Mattar Sailors FC (@mattarsailorsfc) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  16. "Police Sports Association (@policesportsassociation) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  17. "South Avenue SC (@southavenuesc) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  18. "Starlight Soccerites Football Club (@starlight_socceritesfc) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  19. Dorai, Joe (7 February 1975). "'Super' league will bring soccer to doorstep". The Straits Times. p. 31.
  20. Dorai, Joe (3 January 1987). "Doorstep, rather than lip, service". The Straits Times. p. 33.
  21. Dorai, Joe (24 February 1987). "Bedok now made a top venue". The Straits Times. p. 27.
  22. Siow, Peter (26 March 1987). "Tiong Bahru rule in rugged final". The Straits Times. p. 31.
  23. "Singapore - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
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