Tech giant Sea to donate S$50m to boost football development in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Tech company Sea will donate S$50 million (US$38.7 million) to support the long-term development of football in Singapore.

The homegrown firm, which runs e-commerce platform Shopee and owns digital bank MariBank, announced the donation on Tuesday (Mar 31).

It said S$40 million will be progressively disbursed to support "meaningful initiatives that can broaden participation, strengthen development pathways, and contribute to a more vibrant football ecosystem in Singapore".

The other S$10 million was already donated to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) at the start of 2026, Sea noted.

The firm added it will work closely with the government and the football community to deploy the funds effectively.

Sea CEO and chairman Forrest Li, who is also FAS president, said: “We believe football can play a powerful role in bringing communities together, building character, and opening up opportunities for young people.

"Football has a unique ability to forge connections and inspire pride and joy through a shared sense of purpose.

"With Sea’s S$50 million donation, we hope to support the long-term development of football in Singapore and give back to the community that has played such an important role in Sea’s journey."

Sea, the parent company behind gaming platform Garena, has invested in Singapore’s football ecosystem for over a decade.

In 2016, Garena sponsored the Young Lionsand in 2020, Sea acquired Home United and changed its name to Lion City Sailors.  

Two years later, the Sailors opened Singapore's first integrated training football facility at Mattar Road, with the state-of-the-art training centre costing S$10 million.

The Singapore Premier League outfit, in a historic run, made it to the final of last year's AFC