Many observers believe that the 2020 Cup, which kicks off on December 5, will contribute significantly to helping Singapore move forward.
At the 2018 AFF Cup, more than 750,000 fans came to watch 26 matches live in 11 cities across the region. This year, Singapore is the only host country, minimizing travel for teams, the total number of people attending the event will be much smaller.
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced last week that 10,000 people will be allowed to watch matches at the Singapore National Stadium (capacity of 55,000 seats). The remaining location is Bishan Stadium with a capacity of 6,000 seats, which will welcome a maximum of 1,000 fans.
Welcoming 9 away teams and welcoming hundreds of thousands of potential audiences is "a clear sign of Singapore's determination to live with the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mr. James Walton, representative of the accounting firm Deloitte in Southeast Asia.
Last week, pop star JJ Lin performed in front of 2,000 fans at the Sands Theater, where those who came to watch were forced to get vaccinated but could sit next to each other, without having to keep a safe distance. Singapore also hosted the Bloomberg New Economics Forum, welcoming 300 leaders of governments and businesses to sent sent sentosa's Capella Hotel, with strict inspection requirements.
Professor Paul Tambyah, who works at Yong Loo Lin School of the National University of Singapore (NUS), said the AFF Cup is "very important" in Singapore's path to normal. He emphasized that organizing outdoor events, with a large number of people such as regional digital tournaments and the success will help Singaporean authorities be more confident with their steps, as Singapore has achieved a vaccination rate of up to 98% and most COVID-19 cases are at mild risk.
Previously in September, FAS successfully convinced AFF to give Singapore the right to organize the AFF Cup 2020. The fact that the Lion Island successfully organized many previous sporting events is a plus point that helped them become the host of the No. 1 tournament in the region. In February 2021, Singapore welcomed international athletes to the Singapore Open Tennis Tournament. One Championship - a mixed martial arts tournament is allowed to welcome limited spectators to the stadium, but there are also no cases of COVID-19.
Former Singapore national team player Sasikumar said Singapore is one of the last Southeast Asian countries to resume domestic tournaments. That shows that Singaporean officials have a cautious approach, to gradually bring life back to normal.
For football, Europe is considered a model when organizing EURO 2020 grandly, with vibrant and packed fields. However, this also led to thousands of subsequent COVID-19 cases. According to Dr. Alex Cook, Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Department (Research) from the saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore will have a different approach.
"In Singapore, you won't see the likes of puskas (67,000 seats) packed with unmasked spectators, with matches taking place at Kallang or Bishan. The organizing committee will have measures to manage safety and limit quantity, so I personally will feel very comfortable attending the matches," he emphasized.
With more than 400 players, coaches and officials at the AFF Cup, all will be carefully managed. All teams, including the Singapore team, will operate according to the bubble rule, live and compete according to a closed, strictly controlled cycle from the hotel to the training and competition venue.
