Singapore Premier League Ground Sharing - Lessons from AFL
When ground sharing among Singapore Premier League (SPL) clubs started in 2019, there were mixed reactions from the fraternity.
To some fans, the uprooting of their favourite clubs from their allocated home ground was like “losing the sense of identity.”
After all, when professional football was introduced in 1996, one of the key emphases was community outreach. Clubs were strategically located around the island so that they could embed themselves into the neighbourhoods they represented.
To this day, the HOOLs, the supporters’ group of the Cheetahs, still identify “Gate 3” as their meeting point. This was the spot near Gate 3 of Hougang Stadium where they congregated directly behind the team’s dugout.
“There's a consolidation of resources so that there's a focus on each of these four stadiums (Bishan, Jalan Besar, Jurong East, and Our Tampines Hub) to have programmes purely for football — more football-centric.” said the former FIFA international match official.
“Secondly, (when) you have a stadium like that with an infrastructure upgrade, it creates more opportunities for commercial optimisation for the clubs.” he added.
“I believe we can win more fans there. Our Tampines Hub naturally attracts people to visit it due to the shopping centres nearby. It’s just a question of branding and marketing.” said Ang in the aforementioned TODAY article.
For example, Princes Park was the home venue of Carlton FC from 1897 to 2005, while Collingwood hosted their matches at Victoria Park from 1897 to 1999.
While some of these clubs no longer stage matches at their ancestral grounds, they still maintain training facilities and administrative offices there - such as Moorabbin Oval, which is owned by St Kilda.
Several factors contributed to this shift. These included the need to meet growing fan expectations for better matchday experiences, modern stadium facilities, and other requirements that many ageing suburban grounds could no longer fulfil.
Accessibility was another key factor. Unlike some suburban grounds that were difficult to reach for fans without private transport, both the MCG and Marvel Stadium are within walking distance of major public transport hubs — making them far more practical for large-scale events.
Being a national icon, the 100,000-capacity MCG has undergone constant redevelopment to maintain its pedestal position in the game of “footy.” Since 1902 (with only seven exceptions), it has traditionally hosted the AFL Grand Final on the afternoon of the last Saturday in September.
Marvel Stadium, opened in 2000 as Docklands Stadium and located on the banks of the Yarra River, may not match the MCG in capacity. However, its retractable roof ensures that events can carry on regardless of weather conditions.
By centralising at these two venues, AFL clubs benefit from sustainable matchday revenues, enhanced facilities for spectators and players, and greater media visibility.
With the continued evolution of the SPL, the emphasis should be on enhancing the matchday experience.
This will apply at whichever shared venue is used, and in future could extend to new facilities such as the 5,000-seater in Punggol Regional Sports Centre (PRSC) and the 10,000-seater within the premises of Toa Payoh Integrated Development (TPID).
To some fans, the uprooting of their favourite clubs from their allocated home ground was like “losing the sense of identity.”
| Jurong East - one of the "shared stadiums" (file) |
After all, when professional football was introduced in 1996, one of the key emphases was community outreach. Clubs were strategically located around the island so that they could embed themselves into the neighbourhoods they represented.
LOSS OF COMMUNITY ROOTS AND FAN IDENTITY
Take the case of Hougang United. They have been playing their home games at Jalan Besar Stadium (JBS) in recent years after moving out of Hougang Stadium when they were still known as Sengkang Punggol.To this day, the HOOLs, the supporters’ group of the Cheetahs, still identify “Gate 3” as their meeting point. This was the spot near Gate 3 of Hougang Stadium where they congregated directly behind the team’s dugout.
RATIONALE BEHIND GROUND SHARING
According to a 2019 TODAY report, Yazeen Buhari, the then secretary-general of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), explained the rationale behind the move.“There's a consolidation of resources so that there's a focus on each of these four stadiums (Bishan, Jalan Besar, Jurong East, and Our Tampines Hub) to have programmes purely for football — more football-centric.” said the former FIFA international match official.
“Secondly, (when) you have a stadium like that with an infrastructure upgrade, it creates more opportunities for commercial optimisation for the clubs.” he added.
| "Town Square" of Our Tampines Hub |
Concurring with those thoughts was Andrew Ang, the then general manager of Geylang International who have since based at Our Tampines Hub (OTH) after shifting out from Bedok.
“I believe we can win more fans there. Our Tampines Hub naturally attracts people to visit it due to the shopping centres nearby. It’s just a question of branding and marketing.” said Ang in the aforementioned TODAY article.
The ongoing 2025/2026 season, however, will see the use of only Jurong East, OTH, and Bishan for the time being, with JBS unavailable due to repair works.
Nonetheless, this is not a uniquely Singaporean dilemma. One established sporting league with a rich legacy has adopted a similar practice, albeit due to a different set of issues.
For many decades in the past, AFL clubs based in the outskirts of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, used to play their home games at suburban grounds where they originated.
INEVITABLE REALITY OF LIMITED VENUES
Some would opine that ground sharing among SPL clubs is inevitable given the constraints it has been facing - such as the availability of stadiums.Nonetheless, this is not a uniquely Singaporean dilemma. One established sporting league with a rich legacy has adopted a similar practice, albeit due to a different set of issues.
THE AFL PARALLEL IN AUSTRALIA
That example is the Australian Football League (AFL), the top-tier competition of Australian Rules Football.For many decades in the past, AFL clubs based in the outskirts of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, used to play their home games at suburban grounds where they originated.
| Princes Park - Carlton FC's ancestral home ground (as credited) |
For example, Princes Park was the home venue of Carlton FC from 1897 to 2005, while Collingwood hosted their matches at Victoria Park from 1897 to 1999.
While some of these clubs no longer stage matches at their ancestral grounds, they still maintain training facilities and administrative offices there - such as Moorabbin Oval, which is owned by St Kilda.
CENTRALISING AT MAJOR VENUES
Over the last 20 years, the abovementioned and other Melburnian clubs have played the majority of their home matches at just two arenas - the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG, or affectionately called “the ’G” by locals) and AFL-owned Marvel Stadium.Several factors contributed to this shift. These included the need to meet growing fan expectations for better matchday experiences, modern stadium facilities, and other requirements that many ageing suburban grounds could no longer fulfil.
| The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (as credited) |
Accessibility was another key factor. Unlike some suburban grounds that were difficult to reach for fans without private transport, both the MCG and Marvel Stadium are within walking distance of major public transport hubs — making them far more practical for large-scale events.
Being a national icon, the 100,000-capacity MCG has undergone constant redevelopment to maintain its pedestal position in the game of “footy.” Since 1902 (with only seven exceptions), it has traditionally hosted the AFL Grand Final on the afternoon of the last Saturday in September.
| Marvel Stadium at Docklands, Melbourne (as credited) |
Marvel Stadium, opened in 2000 as Docklands Stadium and located on the banks of the Yarra River, may not match the MCG in capacity. However, its retractable roof ensures that events can carry on regardless of weather conditions.
By centralising at these two venues, AFL clubs benefit from sustainable matchday revenues, enhanced facilities for spectators and players, and greater media visibility.
LESSONS FOR THE SPL
The AFL example illustrates that “ground sharing” is not a step backwards but rather a strategic way to optimise limited resources for all parties involved. Any professional sporting league can adopt such a model to address space constraints and economic realities.With the continued evolution of the SPL, the emphasis should be on enhancing the matchday experience.
This will apply at whichever shared venue is used, and in future could extend to new facilities such as the 5,000-seater in Punggol Regional Sports Centre (PRSC) and the 10,000-seater within the premises of Toa Payoh Integrated Development (TPID).