The first leg of the 2025/26 Singapore Cup semi-finals take centrestage this Sunday, 14 December, in a semi-final line-up pits the 2024 Cup finalists who are seeded for this edition  of the tourney against Cup momentum-builders. 

Lion City Sailors and BG Tampines Rovers enter the competition at this stage after earning direct semi-final qualification based on their final positions in the previous edition of the Singapore Cup , while Balestier Khalsa and Albirex Niigata (S) booked their places by navigating through the Singapore Cup group stage. 

Finishing second in group, Balestier will face the defending Singapore Cup champions, Lion City Sailors while the other semi-finals will see Albirex Niigata (S) – group winners in the Singapore Cup group stage – will take on BG Tampines Rovers, Singapore Cup 2024/25  runners-up.

With contrasting routes to the last four, the semi-finals promise a compelling blend of challenges: freshness, form, and knockout experience, with early control in the first leg possibly proving decisive ahead of the second leg matches on Saturday, 20 Dec.

Sailors begin title defence against in-form Balestier

Balestier Khalsa v Lion City Sailors | Bishan Stadium | 14 December

Defending champions Lion City Sailors begin their title defence against Balestier Khalsa this Sunday at Bishan Stadium, with the Sailors carrying both expectation and pedigree into the tie. The Sailors enter the semi-finals fresh – armed with one of the league’s deepest squads and experience in two-legged knockout football.

Standing across them are a Balestier side that has earned its place the hard way. The Tigers progressed from the group stage turning in resilient performances backed by timely goals, with Tin Matić emerging as a key figure in their attack. His ability to convert goals in decisive moments – including critical goals against Hougang United and Geylang International – sees him lead the Cup goal-scoring charts with five goals.

While the Sailors hold the upper hand in head-to-heads after their lone meeting in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) this season — a commanding 5–0 win on 14 September — the Cup presents a different challenge altogether. For the Tigers, they arrive with Cup momentum and the resilience built from progressing through the group stage, setting the stage for a contrasting and competitive encounter.

White Swans battle BG Tampines with final in sight 

Albirex Niigata (S) v BG Tampines Rovers | Jurong East Stadium | 14 December

The second 2025/26 Singapore Cup semi-final will see BG Tampines Rovers, last season’s Cup runners-up, return to familiar territory as they face Albirex Niigata (S). The Stags’ bye into the semi-final stage will see Noh Rahman’s charges hold the advantage in physical freshness, and perhaps even tactical clarity because of the extended period on the training ground, factors that could prove crucial across the two legs. 

The White Swans, however, arrive with momentum firmly on their side after topping the Singapore Cup group with a series of composed performances. Much of that control has been driven by the performances of Shingo Nakano who set the tone of the Albirex Cup campaign with a hat-trick in their opening Cup match, a 0-3 demolition of Geylang International. It was a statement of intent that underlined Albirex’s attacking efficiency and confidence heading into the knockout rounds.

The White Swans and the Stags have yet to meet in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) this season, adding an element of intrigue to the semi-final. 

Tickets for all semi-final fixtures are available on Trip.com.