SINGAPORE, 9 FEBRUARY 2026 – The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is making a concerted shift to provide greater exposure across youth national teams, with a packed calendar of international activities planned from the Under-22s through to the Under-16s in 2026. The structured approach is aimed at driving sharper player development, to ensure that meaningful international experience filters through all levels of the age-group pathway.
Men’s Youth National Teams
The Singapore Men’s U22 National Team will face strong international opposition during the March international window, taking on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Under-23 squad in two closed-door friendly matches in Singapore. The fixtures are scheduled to be played on 25 and 28 March 2026, and will provide the squad with valuable exposure against a physically and tactically robust opponent.
The Singapore Men’s Under-19 National Team are set for a significant year ahead, with two major tournaments on the horizon – the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U19 Championship in June and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers in September.
Preparation for these competitions will begin in February, with two closed-door international friendlies against the Jordan U19 National Team on 13 and 16 February. Both matches will be played in Singapore and form an important part of the team’s early-season build-up.
Meanwhile, the Singapore U16 National Team will commence preparations for the AFF Under-17 Championship in April and the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers in November.
As part of their preparation, the U16 boys will head to UAE for a training camp from 12 to 18 February, providing the players with valuable experience training and competing in an unfamiliar environment.
Women’s Youth National Teams
On the women’s side, the U19 women will dedicate this year’s FIFA windows to centralised training sessions, that also include two overseas training camps during the June and September school holidays.
The U16 girls will have a busy year of competitions and training.
They will take part in the Emerging Matildas Championship in the February/March window, followed by the Lion City Cup in the second half of June, which is scheduled earlier than last year. In August, they will travel to Indonesia for the Independence Day Cup, and in October they will compete in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers.
In addition to these tournaments, the U16 girls will have four training windows throughout the year, including an overseas camp in September, giving them additional preparation and international exposure.
While the Singapore football calendar has fast filled up with national age-group matches, the country will not be represented at the Asian Games following the implementation of a qualification criteria by the Games organisers that has been validated by AFC and the Olympic council of Asia (OCA).
The 16 men’s teams competing in the final round of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 in Saudi Arabia are automatically qualified to participate in the Asian Games, while the women’s tournament will be made up of the 12 women’s teams competing in the final round of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Australia.
With a full calendar of international activities lined up across multiple age-group levels, 2026 shapes up to be a pivotal year for youth development in Singapore football. FAS looks forward to the continued support of the football fraternity and the wider public as these young teams take important steps forward on the international stage.
