The 2023 Singapore Premier League (also known as the AIA Singapore Premier League due to sponsorship reasons) was the 6th season of the Singapore Premier League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for football clubs, since its rebranding in 2018.
Format The following key changes were made to the rules for the 2023 season: Young Lions will be allowed to register between 20 and 40 players, three of whom may be foreign or overaged Singaporean players. Young Lions and Hougang United to play their home games at Jalan Besar Stadium while Lion City Sailors and Balestier Khalsa will play at Bishan Stadium. Other stadiums used are: (1) Our Tampines Hub (Tampines Rovers and Geylang International), (2) Jurong East Stadium (Albirex Niigata and Tanjong Pagar United), and (3) Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium (DPMM). DPMM will play their 1st three home matches in Jalan Besar Stadium as their home ground is undergoing renovation. Brunei DPMM are required to have a minimum of one Under-23 player of Bruneian nationality fielded during the entire first half of a match. All clubs may include a maximum of five players from its COE Under-21 team in its match-day squad. VAR technology will feature for the first time in Singapore league history.
1st transfer window: 1 January to 19 March 2nd transfer window: 1 to 28 June
Teams A total of 9 teams competed in the league. Albirex Niigata (S) was an invited foreign club from Japan, while DPMM FC was an invited foreign club from Brunei.
Stadiums and locations
Image Team Stadium Capacity Albirex Niigata (S) Tanjong Pagar United Jurong East Stadium Lion City Sailors Balestier Khalsa Bishan Stadium Young Lions Hougang United DPMM FC Jalan Besar Stadium Tampines Rovers Geylang International Our Tampines Hub Jalan Besar Stadium (Btw 12-20 Apr 2023)
Personnel, kit and sponsoring 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) Kazuaki Yoshinaga Asahi Yokokawa Mizuno Denka Lensmode Kubota Reeracoen Kirin EnglishCentral Gain City Dpro Logistics Namics One Asia Lawyers JPLUS+ Daiho Group JTB NSG Sanpoutei Ramen SMBC ACCEA Singapore PR Times Nippon Medical Care HIT Singapore With You Global Creations SD Aircon At Twenty Salonpas Crown Line SETA Technologies Salonpas Soken Medical Dr. Stretch Miura IGPI Thomson Jap Family Clinic Akinori Singapore Black Clover Pocari Sweat SingaLife Balestier Khalsa Peter de Roo Ho Wai Loon Adidas Jeep Weston Corporation Project Vaults PSB Academy TopGrid Pest Dr. Stretch StarBalm Boys' Town YouthReach DPMM Adrian Pennock Wardun Yussof Pitch Brunei Shell Marketing Mitsubishi Corporation Baiduri Bank DST You C1000 BGI BEGAWAN ATHLETE Waznah Geylang International Mohd Noor Ali Joshua Pereira FBT Rolos by Constructor Epson Broadway Dr. Stretch Extra Ordinary People Optimum Nutrition TRUE Fitness Hougang United Marko Kraljević (Interim) Zulfahmi Arifin Ari The Physio Circle Cafe Football (CF) The Arena SpeedFitness Advance Capital StarBalm My Protein Singapore Lion City Sailors Aleksandar Ranković Hariss Harun Puma SEA Shopee Garena Optimum Nutrition GXA Bank Tampines Rovers Gavin Lee Yasir Hanapi Mizuno ANA Courier Express Rookbook Ryudben Sports Blackhole Group Vintage Studio Battlewin My Protein Singapore Bauerfeind Sports JSSL FC Canadian 2 for 1 pizza StarBalm Fit Together Black Clover Tanjong Pagar United Hasrin Jailani Shakir Hamzah FBT Tokyo Century Samtrade Academy Hyundai StarBalm The Rehab Lab Young Lions Nazri Nasir Harhys Stewart Nike Catapult a. Jacob Mahler was club captain at Young Lions until 19 May 2023, when it was announced he signed for Madura United. Harhys Stewart is now serving as the de facto captain.
Coaching changes Team Outgoing Head Coach Manner of Departure Date of Vacancy Position in table Incoming Head Coach Date of appointment Balestier Khalsa Peter de Roo (interim) Appointed to permanent role 30 November 2022 Hougang United Firdaus Kassim (interim) Appointed to permanent role 15 January 2023 Young Lions Nazri Nasir Stepped down 16 December 2022 Pre-season Philippe Aw 17 December 2022 Lion City Sailors Luka Lalic (interim) End of Interim 20 December 2022 Risto Vidaković 20 December 2022 Hougang United Firdaus Kassim Redesignated as Youth Coach 17 April 2023 9th Marko Kraljević (interim) 17 April 2023 Young Lions Philippe Aw Leave of Absence 18 May 2023 Fadzuhasny Juraimi Koichiro Iizuka (Interim) 18 May 2023 Lion City Sailors Risto Vidaković Sacked 19 June 2023 3rd Pablo Muñiz Daan van Oudheusden (interim) 19 June 2023 Pablo Muñiz Daan van Oudheusden (interim) End of Interim 28 June 2023 Aleksandar Ranković 28 June 2023 Young Lions Fadzuhasny Juraimi Koichiro Iizuka (Interim) 13 July 2023 9th Nazri Nasir 13 July 2023
Foreign players Singapore Premier League clubs could sign a maximum of four foreign players in the 2023 season. However, one of them had to be an AFC player.
Player name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC Player U21 Player Former Players Unregistered Players Balestier Khalsa Alen Kozar Shuhei Hoshino Ryoya Tanigushi Masahiro Sugita Max McCoy Curtis Gray Alexandre Bertholon Conor MacKay DPMM FC Andrey Varankow Ángel Martínez Kristijan Naumovski Farshad Noor Akmal Tursunbaev Josip Balić Geylang International Vincent Bezecourt Takahiro Tezuka Rio Sakuma Yushi Yamaya Zach Whitehouse Hougang United Kristijan Krajcek Đorđe Maksimović Naoki Kuriyama Kazuma Takayama Brian Ferreira Lion City Sailors Diego Lopes Maxime Lestienne Richairo Zivkovic Bailey Wright Nils Vandersmissen Joshua Little Aryan Bahadur Chhetri Obren Kljajic Pedro Henrique Kodai Tanaka Súper Bernie Ibini-Isei Tampines Rovers Boris Kopitović Miloš Zlatković Shuya Yamashita Kyoga Nakamura Tanjong Pagar United Pedro Dias Mirko Šugić Marin Mudražija Blake Ricciuto George Thomas Charlie Traynor
Albirex Niigata can sign an unlimited number of Singaporean players for this season. Only 2 local players above 23 years old are allowed.
Club SG Overaged Player 1 SG Overaged Player 2 SG Player 1 SG Player 2 SG Player 3 Former Players Albirex Niigata (S) Hassan Sunny Hyrulnizam Juma'at Zamani Zamri Shakthi Vinayagavijayan Junki Kenn Yoshimura Nicky Melvin Singh SG Player 4 SG Player 5 SG Player 6 SG Player 7 SG Player 8 Former Players Jarrel Ong Jia Wei Kenji Austin Hilman Norhisam Firman Nabil
Young Lions can register a total of three foreign or overaged Singaporean players.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Former Players Unregistered Players Young Lions Kan Kobayashi Jun Kobayashi Amiruldin Asraf
Results League table
Fixtures and results
Matches 1–16
Matches 17-24
Statistics
Top scorers
As of 16 Sept 2023
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Maxime LestienneLion City Sailors252 Ryoya TanigushiBalestier Khalsa233 Seia KunoriAlbirex Niigata (S)214 Boris KopitovićTampines Rovers175 Keito KomatsuAlbirex Niigata (S)136 Hakeme Yazid SaidBrunei DPMM127 Tadanari LeeAlbirex Niigata (S)11 Shuhei HoshinoBalestier Khalsa8 Yushi YamayaGeylang International10 Abdul Rasaq Lion City Sailors Shawal AnuarLion City Sailors 9 Andrey VarankowBrunei DPMM9 Kristijan KrajcekHougang United Faris RamliTampines Rovers Marin MudražijaTanjong Pagar United10 Riku FukashiroAlbirex Niigata (S)8 Shuto KomakiAlbirex Niigata (S)
Top assists As at 16 Sept 2023 RankPlayerClubAssists1 Maxime LestienneLion City Sailors 212 Diego LopesLion City Sailors 133 Shuhei HoshinoBalestier Khalsa124 Shuto KomakiAlbirex Niigata (S)10 Seia KunoriAlbirex Niigata (S)5 Joel ChewTampines Rovers9 Kristijan KrajcekHougang United6 Shodai YokokawaAlbirex Niigata (S)8 Asahi YokokawaAlbirex Niigata (S)7 Yushi YamayaGeylang International7Adam SwandiLion City Sailors8 Tadanari LeeAlbirex Niigata (S)6 Riku FukashiroAlbirex Niigata (S)9 Ryoya TanigushiBalestier Khalsa5 Ho Wai LoonBalestier Khalsa Daniel GohBalestier Khalsa Hakeme Yazid SaidBrunei DPMM Takahiro TezukaGeylang International Kan KobayashiYoung Lions FC
Own goal As at 13 Aug 2023
Player For Against Date Lionel Tan Lion City Sailors Albirex Niigata (S) 9 Mar 23 Ho Wai Loon Balestier Khalsa DPMM 10 Mar 23 Hirzi Zulfaqar DPMM Tanjong Pagar United 14 Mar 23 Glenn Kweh Tampines Rovers Lion City Sailors 31 Mar 23 Jun Kobayashi Young Lions FC Tanjong Pagar United 6 Jun 23 Kan Kobayashi Lion City Sailors 10 Jun 23 Harhys Stewart Albirex Niigata (S) 1 Jul 23 Joshua Pereira Geylang International Balestier Khalsa 12 Aug 23 Richairo Zivkovic Lion City Sailors Hougang United 13 Aug 23
Hat-tricks As at 4 Aug 2023
Player For Against Result (Date) Ryoya Tanigushi Balestier Khalsa DPMM 4–3 (10 Mar 23) Seia Kunori Albirex Niigata (S) Balestier Khalsa 6–1 (5 Apr 23) Andrey Voronkov DPMM Lion City Sailors 3–3 (13 May 23) Amy Recha Hougang United DPMM 3–2 (7 Jun 23) Maxime Lestienne Lion City Sailors Young Lions 4–0 (7 Jul 23) Keito Komatsu Albirex Niigata (S) 5–0 (22 Jul 23) Seia Kunori 4 Geylang International 6–1 (3 Aug 23) Maxime Lestienne Lion City Sailors Tampines Rovers 5-2 (4 Aug 23)
Note 4 Player scored 4 goals
Clean sheets As at 16 Sept 2023 RankPlayerClubClean Sheets1 Hassan Sunny Albirex Niigata (S)92 Syazwan Buhari Tampines Rovers83 Zharfan Rohaizad Lion City Sailors54 Hafiz Ahmad Geylang International3 Zaiful Nizam Hougang United5 Kai Yamamoto Albirex Niigata (S)1 Hyrulnizam Juma'at Haimie Abdullah Nyaring DPMM Kristijan Naumovski DPMM Rudy Khairullah Geylang International Ridhuan Barudin Tampines Rovers Kenji Syed Rusydi Tanjong Pagar United
Penalty missed As at 15 Sept 2023
Player For Against Date Mirko Šugić Tanjong Pagar United Lion City Sailors 24 Feb 23 Diego Lopes Lion City Sailors Geylang International 15 Mar 23 Andrey Voronkov DPMM Tampines Rovers 20 Apr 23 Tanjong Pagar United 7 May 23 Seia Kunori Albirex Niigata (S) DPMM 11 Jun 23 Yushi Yamaya Geylang International 28 Jun 23 Kan Kobayashi Young Lions FC Albirex Niigata (S) 1 Jul 23 Maxime Lestienne Lion City Sailors DPMM 11 Jul 23 Ryoya Tanigushi Balestier Khalsa 16 Jul 23 Seia Kunori Albirex Niigata Tampines Rovers 28 Jul 23 Hakeme Yazid Said DPMM Geylang International Richairo Zivkovic Lion City Sailors Balestier Khalsa 31 Jul 23 Ryoya Tanigushi Balestier Khalsa Lion City Sailors Syukri Bashir Tanjong Pagar United Young Lions FC5 Aug 23 Amiruldin Asraf Young Lions FC Tanjong Pagar United Ryoya Tanigushi Balestier Khalsa Tampines Rovers 15 Sept 23
Referee's record As at 16 Sept 2023
Referee Match Jansen Foo157811 Farhan Mohd16614 Ahmad A'qashah14503 Clarence Leow12413 Muhammad Taqi10422 Hilmi Faud11377 Andrea Verolino12362 Taufik Thana11311 Syarqawi Buhari6253
Team's discipline As at 16 Sept 2023
Team Brunei DPMM 59 5 Tanjong Pagar United 56 6 Geylang International 50 7 Hougang United 50 2 Tampines Rovers 42 4 Young Lions 42 4 Lion City Sailors 37 3 Balestier Khalsa 33 2 Albirex Niigata (S) 31 2
Player's discipline As at 6 Jul 2023
Player Team Danish Irfan Geylang International 0 0 2 Yura Indera DPMM 4 1 1 Tajeli Salamat Tanjong Pagar United 7 1 0 Hanif Hamir DPMM 6 1 0 Nazrul Nazari Hougang United 6 0 0 Milos Zlatkovic Tampines Rovers 6 0 0 Marin Mudražija Tanjong Pagar United 6 0 0 Jared Gallagher Young Lions FC 6 0 0 Ángel Martínez DPMM 3 0 1
Awards
Monthly awards