SINGAPORE: The Singapore FA Cup final and third-place play-off, scheduled for Oct 17 at Jurong East Stadium, have been postponed due to the haze.
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said in an advisory late on Oct 16 that the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) level in the western region was above 200, exceeding the threshold for amateur matches under the FAS-Singapore Premier League (SPL) Haze Management Protocol 2026.
As a result, the fixtures will be rescheduled, with further details to be announced in due course.
The FA Cup is a knockout competition featuring teams from the Singapore Football League (SFL) Divisions 1 and 2, as well as the Island Wide League.
The 2026 FA Cup final will be contested by Police Sports Association (Police SA), the runners-up in the 2025 FA Cup, and Gymkhana Gaulois. South Avenue and Bishan Barx will contest the third-place play-off.
Police SA, South Avenue and Bishan Barx currently play in SFL 1, while Gymkhana Gaulois play in SFL 2.
The FAS haze advisory said the FAS-SPL Haze Management Protocol was developed in consultation with SportSG. The protocol sets out standard operating procedures for matches and training sessions across professional, amateur, and youth football during haze.
The decisions are guided by the one-hour PM2.5 reading for the relevant geographical zone and, for amateur and youth fixtures, the PSI forecast.
SPL matches may proceed with a one-hour PM2.5 reading of up to 200 and will be suspended or postponed if the reading exceeds that level. The same thresholds apply to the Singapore Cup, SPL 2, AFC Champions League, AFF Shopee Cup and international matches for men, women and Under-23 teams.
Stricter thresholds apply to amateur and youth competitions, including the SFL, Island Wide League, FA Cup, Women’s Premier League and Singapore Premier Youth League.
Amateur matches require a PSI forecast of 200 or below and a one-hour PM2.5 reading in Band 1 or Band 2, while youth matches and training sessions may proceed only at Band 1, with a forecast of 100 or below.
At Band 4, the FAS suspends or postpones all matches and training sessions, and the association makes the final decision on the status of any match. - Straits Times/ANN
