Arsenal, AC Milan and Newcastle United to play pre-season friendlies in Singapore
Regular European football fixtures will be played in Singapore in alternate years - 2025, 2027 and 2029.
Arsenal's William Saliba (left) fights for the ball with Newcastle's Alexander Isak during the English League Cup semifinal first leg match between Arsenal and Newcastle United at the Emirates stadium in London, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
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SINGAPORE: English Premier League sides Arsenal and Newcastle United, along with Italian giants AC Milan, will play a series of pre-season games in Singapore in July, it was announced on Friday (Apr 11).
This marks the return of the Singapore Festival of Football (SFOF) in a five-year partnership that will see regular European football fixtures played in Singapore in alternate years - 2025, 2027 and 2029.
In a press release, tournament organisers TEG Sport, who have partnered with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said Arsenal will play their first match against AC Milan on Jul 23 before meeting Newcastle United on Jul 27.
Both fixtures, as well as an Arsenal open training session on Jul 25, will be held at the Singapore Sports Hub.
The tournament was launched at Pan Pacific Hotel on Friday with legends from each of the participating clubs – Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Serginho (AC Milan) and Shay Given (Newcastle United) – in attendance.
The Gunners, who are currently second in the Premier League, beat Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals earlier this week.
They last visited Singapore to compete in the 2018 International Champions Cup tournament where they faced Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid.
"We know we have a big fan base in Asia, and especially in Singapore," Sagna told reporters on Friday. "We are always looking forward to come and play here. When I was playing for Arsenal, I was very excited to come to Asia."
The former full-back, who made over 200 appearances for Arsenal, said that it was important for the players to give back to the fans.
"I'm excited for the fans ... I'm really pleased to see people (being able to) witness this live, especially the kids," he added.
The Magpies, on the other hand, have not been in Singapore since 1996, when they beat an S-League All-Stars team 5-0. Eddie Howe's men ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy last month when they lifted the Carabao Cup.
"It's about growing the fan base," said former Newcastle goalkeeper Given, who played for the Magpies over a decade.
"That's what these games are for as well and getting more Singaporeans to support Newcastle. I think that's really important to grow the club."
At the same time, Given added that the pre-season trip would be good preparation for the next campaign.
"There's no friendlies when you play Arsenal. Once the referee blows the whistle, everyone turns competitive and will want to win the game, that's for sure."
This will be the first time Milan will play in Singapore. Sergio Conceicao's men currently sit 9th in the Serie A.
The inaugural SFOF was held in 2023 and welcomed over 130,000 fans to the National Stadium where Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City as well as German powerhouse Bayern Munich played in three matches over a week.
“We are delighted with the partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board. The nation’s location, efficiency and passion for European football make it a natural spot for teams to conduct their pre-season training and connect with their fans in Southeast Asia," said TEG Asia managing director Timothy Ho.
"This event adds to our vibrant calendar and also reinforces Singapore's appeal as a must-visit destination," added STB chief executive Melissa Ow.
"We look forward to welcoming the teams, fans and visitors to experience Singapore's diverse offerings and warm hospitality."
