Singapore maintained their lead in Group A of the 2026 ASEAN Football Championship following a 0-0 draw against defending champions Vietnam at the My Dinh National Stadium on July 31, 2026, in Hanoi [1, 2, 3]. The match saw a crowd of 31,569 fans, but Vietnam was unable to break through Singapore’s resilient defense despite sustained attacks and home support [1, 2, 3].
Singapore head coach Gavin Lee made three changes to the starting lineup from previous games, introducing Ryhan Stewart, Jacob Mahler, and Shawal Anuar in place of Nur Adam Abdullah, Irfan Fandi, and Ilhan Fandi, respectively [1, 2, 3]. Vietnam kept the same lineup from their commanding 7-0 win over Timor-Leste on July 24 [1, 2, 3]. Vietnam replaced Nguyen Dinh Bac with Geovane Magno in the 41st minute, after Magno hit the woodwork in the second half [1, 2, 3].
Singapore showed ambition in attack as well, especially after bringing on Ilhan Fandi in the second half [1, 2, 3]. The draw left Singapore on 7 points from three matches, placing them at the top of the group [1, 2, 3]. Before the match against Vietnam, Singapore had beaten Cambodia 2-1 and Timor-Leste 2-0 in earlier group stage games [1, 2, 3].
Indonesia sits second in Group A with 6 points from two games following a 3-0 win over Timor-Leste on July 31, while Vietnam is third with 4 points from two matches [1, 2, 3]. Singapore will finish their group stage campaign on August 7 with a home match against Indonesia at the Jalan Besar Stadium [1, 2, 3].
The 2026 ASEAN Football Championship is the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, announced in October 2025 during the 47th ASEAN Summit. It features 14 teams split into two divisions, with group games hosted in Indonesia and Hong Kong [4]. Singapore will face Indonesia, India, and Malaysia in Group A matches played in Indonesia from September 24 to October 3, 2026 [4]. The top teams from each group advance to the division finals [4].
FAS General Secretary Badri Ghent said participation helps develop football in Singapore by inspiring future generations and strengthening the football culture [4]. Coach Gavin Lee said the tournament provides an opportunity to test and assess the team’s progress [4].
