The long road to Amman – Lionesses’ Asian Cup qualifiers campaign – Football Association of Singapore

The Lionesses’ journey to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Qualifiers has been anything but straightforward.

Originally set to play their Group A matches from 23 June to 5 July in the Jordanian capital of Amman, the team was scheduled to depart on 20 June – but their plans were scuppered due to safety and logistical concerns in the region.

This came on the heels of another setback: a key friendly against Hong Kong, China on 15 June that was abandoned due to inclement weather just 10 minutes after half-time, denying the team valuable final match practice.

Lionesses Head Coach Karim Bencherifa admitted the disruption was a tough one to take.

“We started the preparation a few months ago, with fitness tests, ground training, team bonding, and two planned international games. Despite the Hong Kong match being stopped after an hour due to weather interruptions, the team adapted well to the constant stoppages and made the most of the minutes we had. Our progress was going nicely for the original departure date,” said the Moroccan.

“While these issues are out of our control, it wasn’t helpful in keeping the momentum that we had.” 

Disruption to momentum

The postponement also meant that the rescheduled tournament would now fall outside the FIFA Women’s International Window — resulting in the unavailability of some key players. Most notably, Danelle Tan will miss the qualifiers due to mandatory administration required to facilitate a transfer to her new club. 

This marks the second time she has missed a major tournament — she was previously absent from the AFF Women’s Cup campaign in Laos last December due to injury.

“I’m extremely gutted with the sudden change in schedules,” said Danelle. “I spent the whole month of June preparing with the team for the AFC Qualifiers. I felt that we prepared really well as a team so I’m very disappointed that I won’t be able to contribute and help the team at the tournament,” added the 20-year-old.

“While saying this, I’m sure the team will give a good account of themselves at the tournament and I’ll definitely be following closely and supporting the girls.”

The team has also had to cope with other enforced absences. Venetia Lim — who plays for Eltham Redbacks in Australia’s second-tier National Premier Leagues Victoria Women’s — sustained a tendon injury in her left knee during the Hong Kong friendly. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Sharifah Nur Amanina will also miss the tournament as she attends to an illness in her family. 

Geylang International’s 19-year-old defender Elyssa Qistina who was part of the squad in Laos, has been called up as a replacement and will hope to make her senior debut at the tournament.

Elyssa Qistina during a recent training session, June 2025. 

While the team will miss key players, Bencherifa is unwavering in his belief that this group will rise to the occasion.

“We would’ve loved to have them, but this team is used to adapting. Every tournament we’ve played has come with challenges around availability, leave, and work, school or personal commitments,” he explained, highlighting that juggling multiple roles is par for the course for women footballers in Singapore. 

“We never treat them as setbacks. We look forward, we look to whoever is available and we build our strength through unity, and spirit.” 

Adapting to the new changes

With the extended preparation period, Bencherifa revealed that he had to adjust the training schedule to balance intensity with recovery.

“We were training almost everyday during the centralised training period, and this would be too intensive, so we adjusted — we dropped from six sessions to five a week, and used that time to recover injured players and maintain rhythm,” he said.

“The objective was clear: get to the new departure date with a fit, fresh and injury-free squad.”

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is working closely with AFC and the Jordan Football Association as well as Singapore government agencies to ensure that the Lionesses would travel under secure and professionally managed conditions.

FAS General Secretary Chew Chun-Liang reaffirmed the FAS’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of the squad: “From the outset, we’ve prioritised the safety and well-being of our players and staff. The postponement gave us valuable time to strengthen coordination with tournament organisers and local partners in Jordan.

“We sought travel advisory from MFA and are monitoring the situation in the Middle East closely to ensure our duty of care for our team is not compromised.”

“We’ve had tremendous support from the Federation — from logistics to player welfare to medical protocols,” Bencherifa added.

“Everyone has been briefed, and we’re travelling in a secure and professional environment. The team is safe, focused, and ready.”

Looking ahead to Amman

With preparations complete and safety measures in place, the Lionesses now turn their focus to the pitch — and the challenge that awaits in Amman.

Singapore’s Group A opponents — Jordan, Lebanon, Bhutan and the Islamic Republic of Iran — each pose a different threat, and there will be little margin for error.

“When we talk about an AFC tournament, we’re talking about a high-level tournament. Iran and Jordan have a big reputation in the region, and Lebanon will give us a physical challenge,” said Bencherifa.  

“Bhutan may be underestimated by some, but they play one of the best football styles in the group and recently held Hong Kong to a draw in a friendly.”

There is a quiet confidence in the Lionesses’ camp — built not on hype, but on hard work, sacrifice, and belief.

“We have a clear idea of how to approach every match. Fans can expect a team that never gives up, that will try to perform and get the best result possible,” said Bencherifa.

Though these disruptions are unfamiliar, he is confident fans will see what has always been at the heart of this squad.

“I want the fans to know this: our players are juggling training, work, study, and exams, yet they still give their best in every session and every game to honour the flag and the country. 

“This team has already shown it’s not about individuals — it’s about the team, and we hope to have our fans’ full support in this campaign.”

The Lionesses are set to depart for Amman this Friday, 4 July. Their campaign will kick off on Monday, 7 July, against Bhutan. This will be followed by two matches spaced three days apart — first against Iran, then against hosts Jordan, before the team wraps up their qualifiers against Lebanon on Saturday, 19 July.

Singapore Women’s National Team Fixtures for AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Qualifiers