Singaporeans participate in a wide variety of sports for recreation as well as for competition. Popular sports include football, swimming, track and field, basketball, rugby union, badminton, table tennis, and cycling. Many public residential areas provide amenities like swimming pools, outdoor spaces (i.e. street football and basketball courts, running tracks) and indoor sport centres, with facilities for badminton, table tennis, squash among others.
As an island city-state, Singapore is surrounded by waters thus, many Singaporeans also enjoy water sports like swimming, water polo, sailing, kayaking, rowing and waterskiing. There is also a number of avid recreational scuba divers, a prominent diving spot being the southern island of Pulau Hantu, famous for its coral reefs.
Although Singapore does not have a de jure national sport, football is arguably the most popular spectator sport in Singapore. Singapore has its own professional football league, known as the Singapore Premier League (formerly known as S. League). Launched in 1996, it consists of nine teams competing against one another, with one based in Brunei, . Since 2019, all eight teams in Singapore shared their home stadiums with one other team, which are mostly located in heartland towns. In 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2012, the Singapore national football team were champions in the AFF Championship, the premier football competition in Southeast Asia.
Singapore athletes have performed well in both regional and international competitions, mainly in swimming, badminton, table tennis, bowling, sailing, water polo, sepak takraw, and silat. To date, Singapore has won a total of one gold, two silver and two bronze Olympic medals. Singapore has also amassed a total of 41 gold, 59 silver and 117 bronze medals at the Asian Games.
History
Colonial era
Contemporary era
Upon independence, sport initially facilitated wealth-based class distinctions, but eventually became a cornerstone of nation-building. Since 1964, a Pesta Sukan (Festival of Sport) has accompanied annual National Day celebrations, with the city having hosted the 1973 SEAP Games. In that year, the Singapore government formed the Singapore Sports Council (now Sport Singapore), aiming to increase national cohesion and productivity. In 1984, a College of Physical Education was launched to produce specialist teachers for physical education, with school sport having generally grown in importance. The Ministry of Defence considers sport important in the context of ensuring that male students are fit for military service.
Since the 1990s, the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme has improved Singapore’s showings in international events by helping to acquire athletes born abroad. In general, the nation now invests more resources into elite sport due to its greater affluence. In 2000, the Ministry of Community Development was given a sport portfolio because sport was identified as an important part of Singapore taking its place among developed nations.
Recreational The most popular sports in Singapore include outdoor sports like football, swimming, track and field, rugby union and cycling as well as various indoor sports like badminton, table tennis and basketball. Floorball has a young history in the country, but is gaining popularity.Interview with GK from Singapore!
Most Singaporeans live in public residential areas with amenities like swimming pools, outdoor spaces (i.e. street football and basketball courts, running tracks) and indoor sport centres, with facilities for badminton, table tennis, squash among others.
As an island city-state, Singapore is surrounded by waters thus, water sports like swimming, water polo, sailing, kayaking, rowing and waterskiing are also popular among Singaporeans.
Domestic competition Singapore has its own football league, the Singapore Premier League (formerly known as S. League), formed in 1996, which comprises nine clubs, including one based in Brunei.
In 2003, Singapore hosted a round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship in Marina Bay. The event subsequently took the title of Singapore Grand Prix.
In 2006, the Singapore Slingers joined the National Basketball League in Australia but, left in 2008. The Singapore Slingers were one of the inaugural teams in the ASEAN Basketball League founded in October 2009.
Beginning in 2008, Singapore started hosting a round of the Formula One World Championship. The race was staged at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in the Marina Bay area, and became the first night race on the F1 calendar, and the first street circuit in Asia.
Government-sanctioned programmes The Government of Singapore sanctions a variety of sports-based programmes for education in addition to the normal physical education. The National Physical Fitness Award (NAPFA) was introduced in 1982, a scheme which requires mandatory participation of all students within primary and secondary education. The scheme gives awards for a variety of physical tests for endurance, cardiovascular fitness and strength, including a medium-distance run of 1.6 or 2.4 kilometres for primary and secondary students respectively, and the results are reflected in each student's report book. As such, although gaining an award is not mandatory, students are often pressured to do so.
In addition, the government sponsors the Singapore Sports School, which was established on 2 April 2004, combining a secondary school curriculum with professional training in each student's preferred sport, in an attempt to nurture future generations of sportsmen and sportswomen. The concept behind the Singapore Sports School is that sporting talent should not be compromised when striving for academic excellence.
Youth Olympic Games
On 21 February 2008 the International Olympic Committee announced that Singapore won the bid to host the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. Singapore beat Moscow in the final by 53 votes to 44. On 15 September 2010, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports Teo Ser Luck announced that Singapore will start off the Singapore Biennale Games initiative to keep up the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010 Legacy, to be held every 2 years, starting from year 2011.
Singapore has also performed well in subsequent editions of the Youth Olympic Games. To date, the country has won a total of 2 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze medals. Singapore sent its first 3 winter sport athletes to the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics held in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Rugby union
Rugby was first introduced in Singapore during the late 19th century, when Singapore was still a Crown colony part of the British Empire. It has had a steady presence since the beginning of the 20th century, when the Malay Cup between the Singapore national team and the Malayan national team was established, which was one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world.Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ) p71
List of achievements
Badminton Wong Peng Soon Ong Poh Lim 1954, All-England Champion, Men's doubles Li Li 2002, Gold, Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Women's singles Ronald Susilo 2004, Gold, 2004 Japan Open, Men's singles Loh Kean Yew 2021, Champion, BWF World Championships in Spain, Men's singles Terry Hee 2022, Gold, Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Mixed doubles Tan Wei Han 2022, Gold, Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Mixed doubles
Basketball Singapore national basketball team South East Asian Games 1979-Bronze Medal 2013-Bronze Medal 2015-Bronze Medal ASEAN Basketball Championship 2001-Bronze Medal 2013-Bronze Medal Singapore Slingers In 2006, they were the first and only Asian team that was ever given permission to play in Australia's NBL. They finished the 2006–07 NBL season with a 13–20 record. ASEAN Basketball League 2016-Final Runner Up 2018-Final Runner Up 2019-Final Runner Up
Bodybuilding Joan Liew Lee Ting 2011, 1st place, NPC Tournament of Champions held in USA 2010, 2nd place, NPC Tournament of Champions held in USA 2009, 1st place, Multi Asian Championships (over 52 kg) 2006, 1st place, Asian Women's Open Invitational Championships in Singapore (Welterweight) 2006, Guest posing at Singapore Bodybuilding Championships in Singapore 2002, Gold, Asian Women's bodybuilding Championships in China 2001, Guest posing at Singapore Bodybuilding Championships in Singapore 2001, 7th place, 6th World Games in Japan (over 52 kg) 2000, Gold, Asian Bodybuilding Championships Abdul Halim bin Haron 2000, Bronze, Asian Championship, welterweight (75 kg) 2002, Gold, Asian Games in Busan, bantamweight (65 kg) Azman bin Abdullah 1993, Gold, IOC-sanctioned World Games Bodybuilding Championships, middleweight 1993, Gold, World Bodybuilding Championships, middleweight 3-time Mr Asia Simon Chua 2002, Gold, Asian Games in Busan, welterweight (75 kg) 2002, Gold, Commonwealth Bodybuilding Championships in Calcutta, welterweight (75 kg) 2003, Bronze, commonwealth bodybuilding champs Danie Dharma Asian Championship Classic Physique 2017 World Regional Championships Classic Physique Class B Category 2018 NPC Worldwide Singapore Men's Bodybuilding 2023 Overall Winner
Bowling Adelene Wee Chin Suan 1985, won 3 Golds at Asian FIQ Youth Championships, in Singles, Masters, and Team 1985, won Ladies Masters champion, World FIQ Championship in London Jesmine Ho 2001, Masters Champion, World Bowling Masters Championship in Abu Dhabi Jennifer Tan 2002, Masters Champion, World Bowling Masters Championship in Denmark Remy Ong 2002, won 3 Golds, Asian Games in Busan, Single, Trios, and Masters
Chess Ignatius Leong Lian Ann Tan
Cricket
Singapore national cricket team 2009 ICC World Cricket League Division Six: Champions 2012 ICC World Cricket League Division Five: Champions 2014 ACC Premier League: Winner 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier: 11th place 2020 ACC Eastern Region T20: Winner (Qualified for 2020 Asia Cup Qualifier) 2022 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier: 8th place Tim David Played for Singapore (2019-2020) Averaged 46.5 runs for Singapore in T20I cricket, the highest Singaporean average First Singaporean to play in the IPL Surendran Chandramohan Most international runs for Singapore at 756 Janak Prakash Most international wickets for Singapore at 40 Arjun Mutreja Highest individual score for Singapore at 108 vs Bermuda at Selangor Turf Club, Kuala Lumpur on 27 October 2014
Cuesports Peter Gilchrist 1994, WPBSA World Champion 2001, WPBSA World Champion 2009, Gold Medalist, English Billiards (Singles), SEA Games World Record for highest billiard break at 1346
Floorball
Singapore men's national floorball team Asia Pacific Floorball Championships Champions 2006 Champions 2007 Champions 2008 Champions 2010 Champions 2012 Asia-Oceania Floorball Cup Champions 2019 2014 Southeast Asian Floorball Championships: Champions 2015 Southeast Asian Games: Champions Singapore women's national floorball team Asia Pacific Floorball Championships Champions 2005 Asia-Oceania Floorball Cup Champions 2018 Champions 2022
Football
Singapore Lions Malaysia Cup 24 times Champion Singapore National Football Team ASEAN Football Championship 1998-Champions 2004-Champions 2007-Champions 2012-Champions Fandi Ahmad 1983–1985, Played for FC Groningen. Scored in a shock 2–0 against Inter Milan. In 1999, was voted one of the best 25 players ever to play for FC Groningen, earning him a place in the club's Hall of Fame. In 2003, he was named in the club's best eleven of the twentieth century. 1988, Golden Boot Award, Malaysia Cup V. Sundramoorthy Played at FC Basel for Switzerland Adam Swandi Played at French division 3 team FC Metz Safuwan Baharudin Played at Australia top division team Melbourne City
Indoor Skydiving
Kyra Poh 2017: Gold Medal, Wind Games. Acknowledged as "the world's fastest flyer".
Netball