Singapore to stage football games involving Brazil, Japan and Paraguay

SINGAPORE – The World Cup may be over, but football fans here will get to experience world-class sporting action again when the National Stadium at The Kallang hosts Brazil, Japan and Paraguay, as well as the Lions in November.

The Mizuho Blue Challenge – The Kallang Football Series Singapore will see four matches played between Nov 13 and 17, organisers The Kallang Group and Dentsu Sports International announced on Sept 3.

The opening game will see the hosts take on Paraguay on Nov 13, followed by a rematch of Brazil and Japan’s World Cup round-of-32 clash on Nov 14.

The tournament concludes on Nov 17 with Singapore playing five-time world champions Brazil before world No. 17 Japan face 34th-ranked Paraguay, who beat Germany in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.

Tickets for the Lions’ opening game against Paraguay start from $28, while those for the Brazil-Japan match are priced from $98.

Fans will get the chance to watch both Nov 17 matches on a single ticket, also from $98.

Ticket sales begin at 12pm on Sept 4 and can be purchased from The Kallang’s website.

The tournament will give Singapore fans a chance to cheer on their beloved Lions in person following their creditable performance in the ASEAN Championship in August.

While Singapore lost 3-4 on aggregate to Thailand in the semi-finals, they beat the seven-time champions 2-1 in the second leg in Bangkok for their first away win over the War Elephants since 2009.

Before the November friendlies, which fall during FIFA’s international window, Singapore will also take on hosts Indonesia, Causeway rivals Malaysia and invited side Bangladesh in the group stage of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup that will be held from Sept 24 to Oct 3.

The November window will serve as crucial preparation for Japan and Singapore ahead of the Jan 7 to Feb 5 Asian Cup, the continent’s showpiece.

Lions head coach Gavin Lee welcomed the chance to play against stronger opponents.

He said: “These kinds of matches are invaluable to us because they test us and show us where we are and, more importantly, where we still need to improve.

“We’ve made good progress, but there’s still a lot of work ahead of us, and every game we play now is about helping us prepare for the Asian Cup.”

Stern tests await the Lions in Saudi Arabia, as they are drawn with World Cup participants Australia and Iraq, as well as Tajikistan in Group D.

Record four-time winners Japan are in Group F, alongside defending champions Qatar, Thailand and Indonesia.

Japan’s head coach Hajime Moriyasu is also excited about meeting fans in Singapore after seeing the strong support for the Samurai Blue at the World Cup.

He said: “I saw many people across Asia, including in Singapore, support the Japan national team during the World Cup. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to compete in a tournament in a country where football is so deeply loved and embraced.

“Paraguay and Brazil both finished higher than Japan at the most recent FIFA World Cup. We want to make the most of this valuable opportunity, using every international window to continue moving forward from where we are today and to deliver our best possible performance at the AFC Asian Cup next January.”

This will be the second Brazil-Japan clash in Singapore.

In October 2014, Neymar scored all four goals to give five-time world champions Brazil a 4-0 victory over Japan in a friendly played in front of 51,577 spectators – the first sold-out ticketed event at the National Stadium.

Five years later, Brazil returned but could not find a win against African opposition. On Neymar’s 100th cap, they were held 1-1 by Senegal, before another similar scoreline against Nigeria three days later.

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti said: “The friendlies in Singapore represent another important step in building the Brazilian national team for the coming years.

“Facing Japan and Singapore will allow us to observe the team’s behaviour in different contexts, which is essential at this early stage of the cycle.

“We are working to strengthen our identity and expand our options. The goal is to evolve with balance, preparing the group for the challenges that lie ahead.”

Supported by Mizuho Financial Group as title sponsor, the football showcase is also part of the Singapore-Japan 60th Anniversary celebrations to commemorate six decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

While the two sides are not playing each other this time, they have met on numerous occasions, including in World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers.

Their most recent match-ups were in 2015, when the Lions held the Samurai Blue to a 0-0 draw in Saitama, thanks to goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud’s 18-save heroics. But Japan made amends five months later with a 3-0 win in Singapore.

Dentsu Sports Asia managing director Tomonori Ito said: “As part of the SJ60 celebrations, we are delighted to play our part in bringing people together through the shared passion for football.

“Singapore offers the ideal setting for international sport, and in The Kallang, we have a partner that shares our ambition to create premier football events in the region.”

Daryl Yeo, The Kallang Group’s chief operating officer and chief experience officer, said the tournament is a significant milestone in the company’s growth.

He added: “As we expand our portfolio of signature events, this inaugural tournament reflects our commitment to bringing premier sporting action to Singapore and creating more opportunities for fans and communities to come together.

“We look forward to welcoming supporters to The Kallang to experience football at its very best and enjoy memorable moments that last long after the final whistle.”

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