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SINGAPORE: The search for new teams to join the nine-club Singapore Premier League (SPL) continues after the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) received "good" but "incomplete" applications in its last exercise.
"FAS has received good proposals but the applications were incomplete. To maintain the integrity of the RFP (request for proposal) process, we have closed the current RFP and launched a new one for the existing applicants as well as any new clubs to submit their applications," said an FAS spokesperson on Thursday (Apr 3) in response to queries from CNA.
"We have an active RFP in process, and this is part of our efforts to refresh and rejuvenate the league competition, and we will make announcements on any new developments in due course."
The intention remains to evaluate and announce the results of the RFP around the end of April, the spokesperson added.
In February, FAS announced that it was resuming its search for clubs to join the SPL - with local and foreign clubs invited to apply.
Interested parties were asked to submit "comprehensive proposals for participation" in the SPL starting from the 2025/2026 season. Applicants had to submit their proposal by 6pm on Mar 14.
A similar exercise was also announced in December 2023.
However, no new club came on board despite the FAS receiving several applications and giving in-principle approval to one club to take part in the 2024/2025 season. CNA understands the club is Tengah Football Club.
"The shortlisted club entered into a due diligence process, which took longer than expected," said FAS in April last year.
"Given the tight deadline prior to the commencement of the SPL in May 2024, the club has decided not to contest the 2024/25 season."
The SPL - formerly the S League - was officially launched in 1996 with eight local teams.
There are nine clubs currently in the league: Albirex Niigata, Lion City Sailors, Tampines Rovers, Balestier Khalsa, Geylang International, Hougang United, Brunei DPMM, Tanjong Pagar United and the Young Lions.
Albirex - the current champions - announced a shift in policy from being a club with mainly Japanese professionals to one with predominantly Singaporean players.
Over the years, foreign clubs have participated in the league, with the first team - Sinchi FC from China - joining in 2003.
Other foreign teams that have taken part in the league include Sporting Afrique FC, South Korean Super Reds FC, and Chinese teams Liaoning Guangyuan and Beijing Guoan FC.
Lion City Sailors currently top the league for the 2024/2025 season.
Asked if Brunei DPMM will be participating in upcoming seasons, the FAS spokesperson said that the club is a "long-time, valued partner" of the local football fraternity and that the FAS is "looking forward to watching them compete for honours in the upcoming Singapore Cup semi-finals".
