Million-dollar bonuses on offer for Singapore and Hong Kong to achieve Asian Cup qualification
SINGAPORE – Just as the stakes are high on the pitch for the Asian Cup qualifier between Hong Kong and Singapore on Nov 18, the monetary rewards off the field are considerable too, with around a million dollars up for grabs for each side.
The Straits Times understands that the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has two sets of bonuses in place for the Lions.
The first is their regular bonus for winning matches, which promises $6,000 for each player who takes to the field, regardless of the number of minutes, and less than half for the others in the squad.
There is a bigger prize should Singapore secure a maiden qualification for the Asian Cup – they did play in the continental showpiece as hosts in 1984 – as each player could receive up to $40,000 for the feat.
To earn that reward, they must either beat Hong Kong at Kai Tak Stadium on Nov 18 or leapfrog them to first place in Group C on the last day of qualification on March 31, 2026.
Again, there is a varying scale for the players as well as for the staff, depending on their degree of involvement throughout the campaign, which takes the kitty to around $1 million.
Teams who qualify for the continental showpiece in Saudi Arabia in 2027 are also set to receive a bounty. At the last Asian Cup in 2023, teams earned US$200,000 (S$260,000) for participating, with champions Qatar receiving US$5 million.
FAS deputy president Desmond Ong said: “One of the things when we first took office in late April this year was to prioritise the national team and the incentives that are available for the boys.
“We have match bonuses and qualification bonuses, so the boys know exactly what’s in store for them, incentive-wise. It’s not just the players – the coaches and the admin team also know fairly early on that there’s a qualification bonus on the line as well.”
While Singapore skipper Hariss Harun appreciates the healthy bonuses on offer, he insists the team are fighting for a bigger cause.
The 34-year-old told The Straits Times: “These are incentives and nothing more.
“Of course, it can motivate you in a certain way, but in sport and in international football, it’s so much more than that when you are playing for the national team because of what it means to everyone in Singapore.
“We all see the national projects for youth footballers, and the Asian Cup qualification can be a catalyst and make an impact for what we want to achieve.
“So, the bonus is not the foremost thing in our heads – we are just fully focused on the game itself.
Meanwhile, on Nov 12, the Football Association of Hong Kong (HKFA) also announced that its players would share HK$1 million (S$168,000) in prize money if they beat the Lions and reach the continental showpiece for a second edition in a row and fifth time overall.
The South China Morning Post reported that the bonus would be shared “only by those who are involved against Singapore, meaning some players who featured in four earlier qualifiers would not get their hands on the cash”.
HKFA general secretary Charles Cheung said: “We would like to show HKFA’s appreciation to all the players – if they play in that match, they get the bonus. It will be for the coaching staff, too. The effort belongs to the whole team.”
Hong Kong are top of Group C in the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers with eight points from four games, the same tally as Singapore, who trail only by goals scored, while Bangladesh and India are out of the reckoning.
Only the top team from each of the six groups will join 18 other sides who have qualified for the tournament proper in Saudi Arabia in 2027.
With competition regulations stating that the head-to-head record will serve as the first tiebreak criterion for teams level on points, the winners at Kai Tak Stadium on Nov 18 will earn their Asian Cup ticket.
The qualifier will be played in front of a sold-out 50,000 crowd, which includes about 2,000 Singapore fans.
For those who are unable to travel for the big match, the FAS has organised watch parties at the Bishan Community Club and Our Tampines Hub, while the 8pm match will also be streamed live on mewatch.
