SINGAPORE, 24 JUNE 2018: The 2018 RHB Singapore Cup draw was held today at the OCBC Square, Singapore Sports Hub to determine the fixtures for the first round of the tournament.

 

RHB Singapore Head, Strategic Corporate Communications, Ms Elaine Sng and Football Association of Singapore (FAS) President, Mr Lim Kia Tong were both present to conduct the draw. Representatives from participating clubs were also in attendance to witness the draw.

 

Into its 21st edition, the tournament is scheduled to take place from 25 July to 6 October 2018 and will see eight Singapore Premier League clubs – excluding the Young Lions – competing for the prestigious trophy.

 

Teams will compete in a home and away two-legged knockout format for Round One of the tournament, with Geylang International FC, Hougang United FC, Brunei DPMM FC and Hougang United FC hosting the first leg of matches on 25 July 2018. The RHB Singapore Cup final will take place on 6 October 2018.

 

Holders Albirex Niigata FC (S), who will commence their cup defence against Hougang United FC, will be the ones to beat as they seek a fourth consecutive triumph. The White Swans defeated Philippines side Global Cebu FC 3-1 on penalties in the Cup final at Jalan Besar Stadium to lift the trophy last year. The two most successful clubs in the history of the Singapore Cup – Home United FC, who holds the record with six titles to their name, and four-time Singapore Cup champions Warriors FC – will also fancy their chances of adding one more title to their trophy cabinet.

 

Drawn to play against Tampines Rovers FC in the first round of the tournament, Home United FC head coach Aidil Sharin commented: “I think it’s a fair draw. For Singapore Cup, we will have our key players – both teams have a good chance and both have quality. At the end of the day, whoever performs well on the day and is hungrier will qualify for the semi-final. We have to take one game at a time, beat Tampines and qualify first, then we can talk about whoever we meet in the semi-finals.”

 

This year, with the aim of further enhancing the consistency of decisions by match officials, and to provide additional support to referees, additional assistant referees (AARs) will be introduced to assist referees in making critical decisions, in particular for incidents in the penalty area.

 

FAS President Mr Lim Kia Tong said: “We have been fortunate to have a steadfast partner in RHB Singapore. RHB Singapore has been a title sponsor of the Singapore Cup for the past 13 years, and with their support, we have been able to spread the joy for football.

 

“The Singapore Cup not only presents a golden opportunity for our clubs to pick up silverware, but also an opportunity to play in the 2019 AFC Cup. I believe that this year’s tournament will be yet another exciting one and I look forward to seeing the teams grow in strength, putting up performances to thrill fans.”

 

FAS Acting General Secretary Mr Yazeen Buhari added: “As part of our continued efforts in enhancing the quality of domestic competitions, we have identified the RHB Singapore Cup as a platform to introduce the AARs. In line with best practices as initiated by FIFA and implemented by leading confederations AFC and UEFA, the main goal is for AARs to give support when decisions affecting the result of the match have to be taken – particularly inside the penalty area. The AARs will assist in critical decisions and on incidents not seen by the referee, as well as support the assistant referees by undertaking goal line decisions.

 

“The main evolution of the games now is the speed at which they are played. AARs would be of valuable assistance to the referees, and will further strengthen the refereeing team’s confidence while allowing the game to flow.”

 

Mr Mike Chan, Country Head and CEO of RHB Singapore, said: “RHB is pleased to be the title sponsor of the RHB Singapore Cup. This year, the RHB Singapore Cup draw will be held at the Sports Hub – Home of the Lions – a meaningful move to honour the home of Singapore football. We are also heartened to see FAS’s commitment to focus on developing local clubs and players. We believe this is a positive step towards nurturing and strengthening the quality of local football and we look forward to an exciting line-up of matches.”

 

Prior to the draw, Tampines Rovers FC organised a football clinic for 18 children aged between nine and 14 years old as part of the League’s continuous efforts to engage with the community and bring football to the masses.

 

Details of the fixtures will be released at a later time.

 

2018 RHB Singapore Cup Draw

Round One – First Leg
Geylang International FC	vs	Balestier Khalsa FC
Hougang United FC	vs	Albirex Niigata FC (S)
Brunei DPMM FC	vs	Warriors FC
Home United FC	vs	Tampines Rovers FC
Round One – Second Leg
Balestier Khalsa FC	vs	Geylang International FC
Albirex Niigata FC (S)	vs	Hougang United FC
Warriors FC	vs	Brunei DPMM FC
Tampines Rovers FC	vs	Home United FC
Semi-finals – First Leg
Hougang United FC / Albirex Niigata FC (S)	vs	Home United FC / Tampines Rovers FC
Brunei DPMM FC / Warriors FC	vs	Geylang International FC / Balestier Khalsa FC
Semi-finals – Second Leg
Home United FC / Tampines Rovers FC	vs	Hougang United FC / Albirex Niigata FC (S)
Geylang International FC / Balestier Khalsa FC	vs	Brunei DPMM FC / Warriors FC