The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team are set for an all-ASEAN challenge in their maiden appearance in the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League (AWCL) Group Stage.
This was confirmed earlier this afternoon (11 September) after the Official Group Stage Draw in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Daniel Ong’s charges have been drawn in Group A alongside Australia’s Melbourne City, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC, and Philippines’ Stallion Laguna. The group will be contested in a centralised format in Vietnam from 13 to 19 November.
From the 12 participating clubs in the AWCL, eight will advance to the Knockout Stage. The top two teams from each of the three groups will qualify automatically, while the two best third-placed sides across all groups will also progress. These eight teams will then contest the Quarter-Finals, which are scheduled for March 2026.
The Sailors arrive at this stage on the back of a dream Preliminary campaign in Melaka, where they won all three matches to book their place in the tournament proper — a first in club and Singapore football history.
Now, against some of Asia’s most established women’s sides, Daniel is calling on his players to rise to the occasion.
“We have already shown that we have the potential to go toe-to-toe with some of the region’s best clubs, so we shouldn’t be afraid to challenge ourselves in these matches. It’s a rare opportunity to play with teams from higher-ranked nations, so I want the girls to go out and enjoy the occasion,” said the 36-year-old.
“Ultimately, it’s about representing Singapore well on the continental stage, and we’ll make sure to prepare adequately for these matches ahead.”
Echoing her coach’s sentiment, captain Umairah Hamdan insists the team has earned the right to feel confident about their chances.
She said, “Our performances in the Preliminary Stage showed that we belong here. It’ll be tough taking on these top teams from the region, but we’ll endeavour to put up the best showcase, not just for the club, but also for Singapore and Southeast Asian football.”
