Singapore in 2034 World Cup. Can make it or not?

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Blow for Lions with football head coach Tsutomu Ogura set to leave​

Tsutomu Ogura led the Lions to the 2024 Asean Championship semi-finals, only the second time since their 2012 title win that they had reached the last four.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Deepanraj Ganesan
Jun 24, 2025

SINGAPORE – The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is on the hunt for its fourth national head coach in six years with Tsutomu Ogura set to resign from the top job.

The Straits Times understands that Ogura, who was appointed in February 2024 on a two-year contract, is leaving due to personal reasons and has informed the FAS of his decision.

Ogura was also the director for the men’s Under-22 team.


The 58-year-old former Japan national assistant coach was the third consecutive Japanese tactician for the Lions. The others were Takayuki Nishigaya, who was appointed in 2022 and fired in January 2024, and Tatsuma Yoshida, who was appointed in 2019 and quit two years later.

Ogura leaves after having led the Lions to two consecutive wins, a 3-1 victory over the Maldives in an international friendly at home on June 5 and a 2-1 away victory over Bangladesh in an Asian Cup qualifier five days later.

The latter result placed Singapore top of Group C on goals scored, ahead of Hong Kong (four points), Bangladesh and India, who have a point apiece. Only the group winners will advance to the Asian Cup in 2027.

Singapore, who next face India in back-to-back matches in October, have never qualified for the Asian Cup on merit, with their only appearance coming as hosts in 1984.

In 16 matches in charge of the Lions, Ogura’s record stands at five wins, three draws and eight losses. His tenure started off with a pulsating comeback 2-2 draw with China in a World Cup qualifier in March 2024.

Later that year, he also led the Lions to the Asean Championship semi-finals. It was just the second time since their 2012 title win that the Lions had booked a berth in the last four.


But there were low points too, like the 7-0 drubbing on home soil at the hands of South Korea in a World Cup qualifier last June. Some fans have also questioned his in-game management as the Lions have often collapsed late in matches.

ST understands that the FAS has already started its search for the next permanent coach in time for the crucial games in October. An interim coach will be put in place for the next international window from Sept 1-9.

 

[SBFTirak]

So you actually believe the fairy tales?

 

[Narong Wongwan]

According to Mabok Tan
Team Sg would have been a regular World Cup contender since2010
So sg already been to 4 world cups

 

[laksaboy]

According to Mabok Tan
Team Sg would have been a regular World Cup contender since2010
So sg already been to 4 world cups

Football cannot thrive in a totalitarian regime. Because the politicians will meddle and poke their nose into footballing matters. The sporting glory is tethered to the regime's glory. Refer to how Sinkieland shameless hyped up certain sports people from swimming, table tennis and badminton over the years, presented them as the 'mascots' of sports in the country.

That's why China's football is mostly a laughing stock, and not catching up with Japan or South Korea anytime soon. You cannot achieve that like you would throw your kids into Olympic gold medal farms.

 

[True Believer]

Tsutomu Ogura realised that he is fighting a lost cause.

 

[Gutted]

Tsutomu Ogura realised that he is fighting a lost cause.

If Singapore can ever make it to World Cup, I chop!

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

These countries are smaller and poor than Singapore yet qualified for the World Cup.

Curacao, Haiti and Panama qualify for World Cup​

FILE PHOTO: Jun 22, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Haiti head coach Sebastien Migne looks on during the first half against the United States of America during a group stage match of the 2025 Gold Cup at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images/File Photo

Nov 19, 2025


KINGSTON - Haiti defied the odds to book a place at next year's World Cup on Tuesday and they will be joined by both Panama and Curacao, who became the smallest country to ever win a berth at the finals.

The three clinched top spots in their respective groups to advance from the North and Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF) region to the 48-team finals in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

Haiti beat Nicaragua 2-0 in Curacao, where they have been forced to play their home fixtures because of the strife in their country, to finish top of Group C, while Panama's 3-0 home win over El Salvador ensured they ended up as winners of Group A.

Curacao held Jamaica to a goalless draw away to stay one point ahead of their hosts at the top of Group B, despite being without veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who returned to Europe at the weekend for family reasons.

A self-governing part of the Netherlands with a population of 156,000, the Caribbean island nation is easily the least populous country to go to the World Cup, beating the previous record held by Iceland with its 350,000 inhabitants.

Curacao lived dangerously in Kingston, where Jamaica were awarded a last-gasp penalty four minutes into stoppage time only for the referee to change his decision after consulting VAR.

Jamaica, coached by former England manager Steve McClaren, needed a win to qualify but hit the woodwork three times in the second half and Curacao's team, made up entirely of players born in the Netherlands with Antillean roots, held out to secure a World Cup debut.

HAITI COACH HAS NEVER BEEN TO THE COUNTRY

Haiti's qualification was remarkable given that armed gangs have taken control of almost all of the capital, Port-au-Prince, in a conflict that has forced some 1.3 million people from their homes and fuelled famine-level hunger.

The levels of danger in Haiti are such that their coach, Sébastien Migne, has not been there since being appointed 18 months ago but the Frenchman has nevertheless managed to engineer a fairytale qualification – their second after a first appearance in 1974.

Haiti started the final round of fixtures on Tuesday behind Honduras on goal difference, but goals from Louicious Deedson and Ruben Providence lifted them to 11 points, while Honduras drew 0-0 away at Costa Rica and finished on nine.

Panama romped through their game, ahead early after a thunderous strike from wingback Cesar Blackman, with their second coming from the penalty spot courtesy of Eric Davis, who was in the squad when Panama made their only previous World Cup appearance in 2018.

Substitute Jose Luis Rodriguez added a third late in the game.

Suriname had been ahead of Panama on goal difference before the start of Tuesday's games but lost 3-1 in Guatemala.

However, a late own goal kept them in World Cup contention as they will go, along with Jamaica, to the inter-confederation playoff tournament in March.

There, the two CONCACAF teams will be matched against Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, and New Caledonia. The six teams will be vying for two spots at the finals. REUTERS

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Advocaat to become oldest coach at World Cup after Curacao qualification​

Jun 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Curacao head coach Dick Advocaat reacts during the first half against Canada during a group stage match of the 2025 Gold Cup at Shell Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Nov 19, 2025

KINGSTON - At the age of 78, Dick Advocaat is set to be the oldest coach at a World Cup after his Curacao team held out for a dramatic draw in Jamaica and qualified for a first-ever finals appearance.

The much-travelled Advocaat has coached seven other national teams, including three stints in charge of his native Netherlands with whom he went as far as the World Cup quarter finals in 1994. However, taking Curacao to the World Cup might be his greatest achievement.

The tiny island nation, a self-governing part of the Netherlands with a population of little more than 150,000, is the smallest country to qualify for football's premier showcase.

Advocaat took charge of the team in January last year. However, he had to watch them complete the job from afar having left the squad shortly after they arrived in Jamaica at the weekend to return to his home in The Hague for what the Curacao federation said were "family reasons".

Ahead of the match, Advocaat in a statement said, "It's a very difficult decision to have to leave the boys here. I had to make this decision with a heavy heart, but family is more important than football. From the Netherlands, I will stay in close contact with the staff and I have complete confidence in this group of players."

It was 2 a.m. on Wednesday morning in the Netherlands when Advocaat sat down to watch the team, keeping in telephone contact with team manager Wouter Jansen, who passed his instructions on to assistant coaches Dean Gorre and Cor Pot at halftime, Dutch media reported.

Curacao led a charmed existence at a packed Independence Park as Jamaica hit the woodwork three times in the second half, although they did have their chances at the other end and kept Jamaica's veteran goalkeeper Andre Blake busy.

The fairytale looked shattered in the fourth of the five minutes added on at the end of the game when Curacao substitute Jeremy Antonisse appeared to have brought down Isaac Hayden and the El Salvador referee Ivan Barton immediately pointed to the spot.

But the referee was quickly encouraged by the VAR officials to check the incident on the small touchline screen and without hesitation reversed his own decision to the consternation of the crowd.

Curacao's delight was confirmed minutes later when the final whistle blew to start their celebrations, with the world having to wait until later on Wednesday for Advocaat's reaction.

The oldest person to coach at the World Cup is German Otto Rehhagel, who was 71 years and 317 days old when he managed Greece in their final group game against Argentina in South Africa in 2010. REUTERS

 

[True Believer]

Iceland qualified for the 2018 World Cup even though they have a population of only 383,726.

 

[True Believer]

Of the 6.11 million residents in S'pore, 3.66 million are citizens. Why can't the Lions qualify for the World Cup?

 

[myfoot123]

Why can't the Lions qualify for the World Cup?

Guess the......??

 

[Baimi]

Not enough FT, the few FTs in the team now can only make it to the Asian cup, Malaysia know.

 

[laksaboy]

Why not just grab a bunch of angmohs, niggers and Brazilians, give them Sinkie citizenship, and let them be the national football team?

The PAP regime is already very shameless anyway, why not go the extra mile and go all the way? You don't care about football, you just want to score political points, especially when that shitty Sinkie anthem is played before every World Cup game.

 

[VanDick]

Let's put things into perspective. Curacao comes from CONCACAF, where its 3 strongest teams USA, Canada and Mexico automatically qualify as joint-host. That left Honduras and Costa Rica as the next 2 strongest teams, who both failed to qualify. Its a weak qualifying group, and Curacao certainly took advantage of that.

What about New Zealand? Looking at their half-fucked qualifying opponents like Vanuatu and Tahiti, they look destined to qualify for every world cup.

So the only realistic chance for the useless sinkies to play in a world cup is for them to join the Oceania federation, where their strongest opponent will only be New Zealand.

 

[Papsmearer]

The PAP should stop wasting $25 billion a year on defence and just go to Brazil and buy a small city there the same money. then all those people there will be automatic sinkie shitizens and can play for Singapore. Only after that, can we go to World Cup.

 

[True Believer]

Curacao with a population of 150,000 people, is the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup. That is even smaller than the 162,280 residents in Ang Mo Kio!

 

[Papsmearer]

Why not just grab a bunch of angmohs, niggers and Brazilians, give them Sinkie citizenship, and let them be the national football team?

The PAP regime is already very shameless anyway, why not go the extra mile and go all the way? You don't care about football, you just want to score political points, especially when that shitty Sinkie anthem is played before every World Cup game.

Why don't Piss and Poop give Swiss politicians sinkie shitizenship, and then we can get Swiss standard of living

 

[Papsmearer]

Let's put things into perspective. Curacao comes from CONCACAF, where its 3 strongest teams USA, Canada and Mexico automatically qualify as joint-host. That left Honduras and Costa Rica as the next 2 strongest teams, who both failed to qualify. Its a weak qualifying group, and Curacao certainly took advantage of that.

What about New Zealand? Looking at their half-fucked qualifying opponents like Vanuatu and Tahiti, they look destined to qualify for every world cup.

So the only realistic chance for the useless sinkies to play in a world cup is for them to join the Oceania federation, where their strongest opponent will only be New Zealand.

Anyone who knows football knows the premier football tournament in the world is NOT THE WORLD CUP. It's the Euros. There are no bad teams in the Euros. Second best tournament is Copa America. World Cup is at best, 3rd rated tourney

 

[True Believer]

There are retards who believe that the Swiss standard of living is possible for S'poreans in general, when it is only realistically achievable for a mere 20% of us. The rest are the hoi polloi of the heartlands who only experience the Swiss cost of living.