The Singapore football national team may soon have a new Lion in its den, if the paperwork doesn’t take too long.
Cardiff City defender Perry Ng has applied for Singapore citizenship under the Foreign Sports Talent (FST) scheme, and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is crossing its fingers for a speedy approval.
Speaking at a media briefing on 6 February, FAS general secretary Chew Chun Liang confirmed that the 28-year-old’s application is in motion, with the association’s support.
“For anyone who wants to be a citizen, first, you must be a permanent resident (PR). So that is already in motion. This is more of an immigration thing… that’s beyond our control.”
“The first step is to make sure that he gets his PR, before he gets citizenship and then he can represent Singapore,” he said.
The Straits Times reported that the FAS is hoping for a decision before the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, which begins on 25 March with a home fixture against Hong Kong.
If approved, Ng will be the first player under the FST scheme in over a decade, with the last being China-born Qiu Li in 2010.
Ng isn’t just another foreign footballer looking for a new gig.
His late paternal grandfather, James was Singaporean, giving him a legitimate connection to the country.
Chew added that FAS plans to invite Ng for training during FIFA windows in March, June, September, October, and November.
However, Ng still needs that shiny pink identification card before he can actually play.
“He is not a Singapore citizen so he can’t represent us yet.
“I think we are hopeful. The first step is to get him to be a permanent resident,” said Chew.
Let’s see if the approval process moves quickly enough, or if Ng will have to wait a bit longer before making his debut for Singapore.
MAIN PHOTO: CARDIFF CITY