'Only fair and proper': Lion City Sailors call for AFC Champions League Two final to be held in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Singapore Premier League (SPL) football club Lion City Sailors on Saturday (Apr 19) called for the AFC Champions League Two final to be held at Jalan Besar Stadium, following an official request by their opponents to play the match at what they deemed a more suitable venue.

United Arab Emirates club Sharjah FC had expressed reservations about the stadium for the May 18 final, claiming it "does not meet the aspirations of the fans and stakeholders" and citing its size and artificial pitch as the reasons.

But the Sailors issued a statement on Saturday in response, saying: "This final must be played in Singapore. This is our home, and as the club that has earned the right to host the final, we believe it is only fair and proper that it takes place on Singaporean soil."

In a Facebook post on Thursday that was published in Arabic, Sharjah FC said it had officially submitted a letter to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), via the UAE Football Association, requesting the "allocation of an appropriate stadium" to host the showpiece game.

Sharjah claimed that the 6,000-seater Jalan Besar Stadium with an artificial pitch is "not suitable" in terms of capacity and facilities.

It also stressed its organisational and hosting capabilities, as well as readiness to stage the final in a "manner befitting the importance of the competition".

In response, the Sailors said: "Jalan Besar Stadium has been a certified AFC Champions League Two venue that meets AFC’s regulations and requirements throughout the competition, successfully hosting six home matches in this tournament alone."

The club added that the ground has a "proud history" of staging major football matches and has "more than proven itself as a capable and reliable venue".

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