Singapore women's football team withdraw from Asean Women's Championship, Singapore News
Fans and some players, however, were kept in the dark, and those who tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the tournament draw ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam, on June 9 were left wondering why Singapore were omitted from the draw — Timor-Leste were included instead.
The FAS' statement on the withdrawal was issued only seven hours after the ceremony.
In its statement, the national sports association said that the "decision-making process involved careful consideration of overlapping fixtures, team readiness and our broader commitment to key Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions".
The decision to pull out of the tournament was influenced by the need to manage player welfare, maintain performance standards and prepare the teams for the challenges ahead, added the FAS.
Aside from the Asean Women's Championship, the Lionesses' schedule includes the AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifers from June 23 to July 5, the AFC Under-20 Women's Asian Cup qualifiers (Aug 2-10) — which overlaps with the Asean tournament — and the SEA Games from Dec 9 to 20.
The development comes after the team's gruelling qualifying campaign for the Asean Women's Championship in December 2024, when they had to endure fatigue, a packed playing schedule and injuries to the squad.
After playing four games in nine days, a 1-0 victory over Timor-Leste in the third-place play-off saw them clinching the final qualifying berth for Singapore's first-ever appearance in the tournament.
Captain Siti Rosnani Azman told The Straits Times: "Of course we're disappointed and we were looking forward to playing against strong regional teams, but we understand where they're coming from.
"Our focus is being fully prepared for the Women's Asian Cup qualifiers and SEA Games."
Many of the players are also "juggling school, work, club and national team duties" and taking time off from these commitments is challenging, added the skipper in a statement.
Lionesses coach Karim Bencherifa said in a statement: "With important tournaments coming in quick succession — and some even overlapping — our priority must be to protect the health and well-being of our players."
Noting that the FAS' technical department has decided to prioritise tournament participation, he added: "This is to ensure that our women's team has the best chance of staying fit and fresh, and able to perform at their best.
"Our immediate focus is the Asian Cup qualifiers, then the U-20 qualifiers, followed by the SEA Games. These are major milestones for the team and we are committed to ensuring our players are in the best condition to perform at their highest level."
The Asean Women's Championship in Vietnam will feature eight teams, with hosts Vietnam, four-time champions Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia to compete in Group A, while Group B comprises defending champions the Philippines, Myanmar, Australia and Timor-Leste.
The matches will be played at Hai Phong's Lach Tray Stadium and Viet Tri Stadium in Viet Tri.
The top two teams in each group will progress to the semi-finals on Aug 16, and the final will be held on Aug 19.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
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