The 2020 Singapore Premier League (also known as the AIA Singapore Premier League due to sponsorship reasons) was the 3rd season of the Singapore Premier League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its rebranding in 2018.Football: Goodbye S-League, welcome Singapore Premier League Straits Times, 21 March 2018 The champions of the 2020 Singapore Premier League qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage automatically.
DPMM FC were the defending champions, but withdrew from the league prior to the season re-starting in October 2020. The league was won by Albirex Nigata (S) on the last matchday after beating Hougang United 1-0. Tampines Rovers qualified for the AFC Champions League as the highest ranked local team while Lion City Sailors and Geylang International qualified for the AFC Cup.
Format The following key changes were made to the rules for the 2020 season:
Singapore Premier League clubs can sign a maximum of four foreign players in the 2020 season, up from three as compared to 2019. From 2019, only four stadiums host regular matches. The 8 teams (excluding DPMM) will host the matches in the following stadiums: Our Tampines Hub (Tampines Rovers and Geylang International), Jalan Besar Stadium (Young Lions and Hougang United), Bishan Stadium (Home United and Balestier Khalsa) and Jurong East Stadium (Albirex Niigata and Warriors FC). For 2019, Albirex is allowed to sign as many locals as their budget allows. However, the club are only allowed one Singaporean over the age of 23. Also, Albirex must have two Singaporeans in their starting lineup for each game. Each team is now able to register up to 28 players in their squad, an increase of 3 players as compared to 2018. FAS had instructed Warriors FC to sit out the 2020 Singapore Premier League season due to their financial issue. Tanjong Pagar United to replace Warriors FC in Singapore Premier League 2020. Young Lions to play their home games at Jurong West Stadium, while Hougang United will move back to their previous home at Hougang Stadium. Tanjong Pagar United will take over Warriors and played in Jurong East Stadium. Home United changed its name to Lion City Sailors Football Club ahead of the new season after being taken over by SEA Group. It is the 1st club in the SPL to be privatized. Local SPL clubs are required to have a minimum of six U-23 players for a squad size of 19 to 25 players; this increases to seven (squad size 26), eight (27) and nine (28). Players in the League shall be allocated jersey numbers 1 to 50. Jersey numbers that have been registered shall not be reused during the same season.
Disruptions due to COVID-19 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore and more generally in Southeast Asia, the season was halted from 27 March.
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth approved the season recommencement on 17 October. Competition rule changes included the provision for two water breaks during a match, and clubs will be able to use up to five substitutions (in defined windows after half-time).
On 26 October 2020, DPMM FC withdrew from the league due to travel restrictions.
Teams A total of 8 teams competed in the league. Albirex Niigata (S) from Japan is the only foreign team invited.
Stadiums and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Albirex Niigata (S) Jurong East Stadium Balestier Khalsa Bishan Stadium Geylang International Our Tampines Hub Hougang United Hougang Stadium Lion City Sailors Bishan Stadium Tampines Rovers Our Tampines Hub Tanjong Pagar United Jurong East Stadium Young Lions Jurong West Stadium
Personnel and sponsors Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Main Shirt sponsor Other shirt sponsors Albirex Niigata (S) Keiji Shigetomi Kazuki Hashioka Mizuno Canon Kirin EnglishCentral Lensmode Kubota Reeracoen Gain City Nippon Medical Care Fitogether Balestier Khalsa Marko Kraljević Zaiful Nizam Adidas Jeep Weston Corporation Project Vaults StarBalmGeylang International Mohd Noor Ali Yuki Ichikawa FBT Epson Heng Motor Chiang Kong Broadway D2D Sports SoundTech Hougang United Clement Teo Khairulhin Khalid Warrix SportCenter by Zup Polar Water Lion City Sailors Aurelio Vidmar Izzdin Shafiq Puma SEA Shopee Tampines Rovers Gavin Lee Yasir Hanapi Mizuno Hyundai Avante ANA Courier Express StarBalm Tanjong Pagar United Hasrin Jailani Faritz Abdul Hameed Thorb Young Lions Nazri Nasir Jacob Mahler Nike Catapult
Coaching changes Team Outgoing Head Coach Manner of Departure Date of Vacancy Position in table Incoming Head Coach Date of appointment Young Lions Fandi Ahmad Contract End 31 December 2019 Pre-Season Nazri Nasir 1 January 2020 Lion City Sailors Noh Rahman (Interim) End of Caretaker 31 December 2019 Pre-Season Aurelio Vidmar Tanjong Pagar United NA NA NA Pre-Season Hairi Su'ap 1 January 2020 Tanjong Pagar United Hairi Su'ap Resigned 14 October 2020 7th Hasrin Jailani 14 October 2020
Foreigners Singapore Premier League clubs can sign a maximum of four foreign players in the 2020 season, up from three as compared to 2019. However, one of them has to be 21 years old or younger on 1 January 2020.
Albirex Niigata can sign up unlimited number of Singaporean players for the new season. Only 1 local player above 23 years old is allowed.
Players name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window. Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 U21 Player 1 SG U-23 Player 1 SG U-23 Player 2 SG U-23 Player 3 Former Players Albirex Niigata (S) Hyrulnizam Juma'at Fairoz Hassan Gareth Low Ong Yu En Iman Hakim Aizil Yazid Kenji Austin Sharul Nizam Zamani Zamri Daniel Goh Balestier Khalsa Shuhei Hoshino Šime Žužul Kristijan Krajcek Ensar Brunčević Geylang International Yuki Ichikawa Barry Maguire Kamolidin Tashiev Gilson Varela Panagiotis Linardos Hougang United Charlie Machell Zachary Anderson Maksat Dzhakybaliev Stipe Plazibat Lion City Sailors Song Ui-young Kaishu Yamazaki Stipe Plazibat Andy Pengelly Tampines Rovers Kyoga Nakamura Jordan Webb Boris Kopitović Zehrudin Mehmedović Tanjong Pagar United Takahiro Tanaka Shodai Nishikawa Luiz Júnior Yann Motta
Note 1: Albirex is allowed to sign as many locals as their budget allows. However, the club are only allowed one Singaporean over the age of 23.
Note 2: Hougang United releases Charlie Machell and Zac Anderson before the season end as their contracts ended 30 November 2020 were not extended.
League table
Results
Statistics
Top scorers
As at 5 December 2020
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Stipe PlazibatHougang United / Lion City Sailors142 Tomoyuki DoiAlbirex Niigata (S)113 Boris KopitovićTampines Rovers9 Song Ui-youngLion City Sailors4 Jordan WebbTampines Rovers7 Luiz JúniorTanjong Pagar United5 Sime ZuzulBalestier Khalsa66 Reo NishiguchiAlbirex Niigata (S)5 Gabriel QuakLion City Sailors7 Ryoya TanigushiAlbirex Niigata (S)4 Shuhei HoshinoBalestier Khalsa Adam SwandiLion City Sailors Khairul NizamGeylang International Shawal AnuarHougang United
Top assists As at 5 December 2020 RankPlayerClubAssists1 Gabriel QuakLion City Sailors72 Shahdan SulaimanLion City Sailors63 Stipe PlazibatHougang United/ Lion City Sailors5 (1 for Hougang, 4 for LCS)3 Jordan WebbTampines Rovers53 Kristijan KrajčekBalestier Khalsa53 Nur Adam AbdullahYoung Lions5
Clean Sheets As at 5 December 2020 RankPlayerClubClean sheets1 Kei OkawaAlbirex Niigata (S)82 Syazwan BuhariTampines Rovers63 Hassan SunnyLion City Sailors44 Zaiful NizamBalestier Khalsa35 Hairul SyirhanGeylang International26 Zainol GulamGeylang International16 Kenji Syed RusydiTanjong Pagar United16 Ridhuan BarudinHougang United1
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Reference Stipe Plazibat Hougang United Young Lions 4–1 Stipe Plazibat Lion City Sailors Balestier Khalsa 7–1 Jordan Webb Tampines Rovers Young Lions 3–1
Penalty missed Player For Against Date Shuhei Hoshino Balestier Khalsa Tampines Rovers
Man of the Match As of 5 December 2020 RankPlayerClubMan of the Match1 Stipe PlazibatHougang United / Lion City Sailors4 (2 for Hougang & 2 for LCS)1 Jordan WebbTampines Rovers42 Gabriel QuakLion City Sailors32 Tomoyuki DoiAlbirex Niigata (S)33 Khairul NizamGeylang International23 Barry MaguireGeylang International23 Christopher van HuizenGeylang International23 Ryosuke NagasawaAlbirex Niigata (S)23 Luiz JúniorTanjong Pagar United23 Shawal AnuarHougang United23 Kyoga NakamuraTampines Rovers2
Discipline
Player Most yellow cards: 7 Ahmad Syahir (Balestier Khalsa)
Most red cards: 1 Adam Hakeem (Geylang International) Delwinder Singh (Tanjong Pagar United) Fadli Kamis (Balestier Khalsa) Firdaus Kasman (Geylang International) Khairul Nizam (Geylang International) Hami Syahin (Geylang International) Shahfiq Ghani (Hougang United) Shahrin Saberin (Geylang International) Zainol Gulam (Geylang International) Zulfadhmi Suzliman (Balestier Khalsa)
Awards
Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthYoung Player of the MonthReferenceCoachClubPlayerClubApril
Singapore Premier League Awards night winners
Awards Winners ClubPlayer of the Year Gabriel QuakLion City SailorsYoung Player of the Year Saifullah AkbarLion City SailorsCoach of the Year Keiji ShigetomiAlbirex Niigata (S)Top Scorer Award Stipe PlazibatLion City SailorsFair Play AwardAlbirex Niigata (S)Referee of the Year Ahmad A'Qashah
AIA Team of the Year Goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari (Tampines Rovers) Defence Tajeli Salamat (Lion City Sailors) Kaishu Yamazaki (Lion City Sailors) Kazuki Hashioka ( Albirex Niigata (S)) Daniel Bennett (Tampines Rovers) Midfield Kristijan Krajcek (Balestier Khalsa) Kyoga Nakamura (Tampines Rovers) Gabriel Quak (Lion City Sailors) Song Ui-young (Lion City Sailors) Attack Luiz Júnior (Tanjong Pagar United) Stipe Plazibat (Lion City Sailors)
References
External links Football Association of Singapore website Singapore Premier League website