Away section only for Lions fans, says FAS amid Hong Kong scramble for sold-out Asian Cup qualifier tickets

SINGAPORE: The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said on Thursday (Nov 13) that it is aware of reports of Hong Kong fans buying tickets meant for Lions supporters ahead of next week's winner-takes-all Asian Cup qualifier. 

Singapore takes on Hong Kong away on Nov 18, with the winner qualifying for the 2027 finals in Saudi Arabia, and tickets allocated for the home supporters sold out in under 80 minutes after going on sale last Friday. 

According to a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report on Wednesday, some Hong Kong fans told the newspaper they had resorted to registering through FAS to secure seats in the away fans’ section as it "was the only way to get a ticket". Tickets for Singapore supporters are priced at S$40 (US$31), but SCMP reported scalpers were reselling tickets at up to 17 times their face value.

Responding to CNA's queries, the association noted that there had been reports on “resale and misuse” of away section tickets for the Asian Cup qualifier. 

"Tickets allocated to Singapore supporters have been made available exclusively through a dedicated FAS access page managed by our ticketing partners, Ticketek," said the association.

It added that there are multiple safeguards to ensure that these tickets are reserved for Singapore fans only, such as warning buyers that those showing visible support for the home team may be refused entry or be ejected by local authorities, with their tickets rendered null and void.

FAS also included a disclaimer in ticket redemption instructions sent out on Thursday that, as part of the redemption process, all buyers will be required to present a valid Singapore photo identification or passport, and acknowledge that the away section is only for Singapore supporters.

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