The Singapore U23 squad for the Gia Lai VTV Cup 2026 has been confirmed, and it blends Singapore Premier League regulars, Young Lions prospects and one overseas-based forward. The Football Association of Singapore announced the 23 names on 7 November 2026, ahead of a four-team tournament in Vietnam.
The Singapore U23 squad: who made the cut
The tournament runs from 10 to 14 November 2026 in Gia Lai, with Singapore, Qatar, Thailand and hosts Vietnam all playing each other once in a round-robin format. Every match takes place at Pleiku Stadium, and every team plays three games, so the final standings will come down to who starts fastest and who handles the short turnarounds best.
The squad is drawn from across the Singapore Premier League, plus one name from further afield. Here is how it breaks down:
- Goalkeepers: Aizil Yazid (Hougang United), Firman Nabil (FC Jurong) and Issac Goh (Lion City Sailors).
- Defenders: Andy Reefqy, Fairuz Fazli, Ikram Mikhail and Iryan Fandi (all Young Lions), Andrew Aw Yong and Sim Jun Yen (FC Jurong), Adrian Jaccard (Lion City Sailors), and Marcus Mosses and Kieran Teo (Tanjong Pagar United).
- Midfielders: Harith Danish, Sarrvin Raj and Ajay Robson (Young Lions), and Ahmad Danial, Asis Ijilrali and Yasir Nizamudin (Lion City Sailors).
- Forwards: Amir Syafiz and Khairin Nadim (Hougang United), Timothy Cheng (Balestier Khalsa), Garv Sahoo (Young Lions) and overseas-based Kian Ghadessy.
The Young Lions provide the biggest block with eight players, followed by Lion City Sailors with five. FC Jurong and Hougang United each contribute three, and Tanjong Pagar United two. That is a healthy cross-section of the domestic game, and it will please anyone who follows the league closely, as we have in our SPL table update.
Key players to watch in Gia Lai
Leading the attack will be 22-year-old Amir Syafiz, who has two senior international caps and has become a regular for Hougang United this season after moving from the Young Lions. Strikers who play every week at club level tend to arrive at these events sharper, and he will be the focal point.
In goal, 21-year-old Aizil Yazid brings leadership experience as captain of Hougang United’s SPL2 side. In defence, the FAS highlights options such as FC Jurong’s Sim Jun Yen, Tanjong Pagar United’s Marcus Mosses and Young Lions defender Iryan Fandi.
Teenagers with something to prove
The squad also features several emerging talents. Andy Reefqy, Harith Danish and Sarrvin Raj are all 18, and all three were recently involved in the AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifying campaign. That group won two of their three matches and secured progression to the Qualification Phase of the next edition, so they arrive with a bit of momentum and a taste of competitive pressure.
Several of these players are also part of the wider national picture. Lion City Sailors have been busy on the continental stage and supplied players to the senior side too, as we covered in our report on the Singapore Lions squad for the Paraguay and Brazil friendlies.
Fixtures and what head coach Firdaus Kassim wants
All kick-off times below are Singapore time:
- Tuesday 10 November 2026: Qatar vs Singapore, 4pm.
- Thursday 12 November 2026: Singapore vs Vietnam, 8pm.
- Saturday 14 November 2026: Thailand vs Singapore, 4pm.
Head coach Firdaus Kassim is realistic about the opposition. “We know we will face strong opposition in Gia Lai, with all three teams having competed at the recent Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya,” he said. The tournament, he explained, will help the team assess where they stand and identify areas for improvement while continuing to build towards the 2027 SEA Games.
He also stressed the approach: compete well in every match, put training work into practice, and show discipline and commitment. That is the right message for a young group. Results matter, but so does the process of learning how to handle Qatar’s organisation, Vietnam’s home support and Thailand’s quality inside five days.
Why this tournament matters for Singapore football
For these players, Gia Lai is a rare chance to measure themselves against sides that have just come from a major multi-sport event. The calendar is tight, the opposition is strong and the stakes, while not trophy-defining, are developmental. Every minute against Qatar, Vietnam and Thailand is a data point for selectors ahead of the SEA Games.
It also shows the pipeline is working. Players who started with the Young Lions, the clubs or the age-group teams now rub shoulders in one squad, and there is a clear path from the SPL to the national setup. How the group copes with the pressure in Pleiku could say plenty about what comes next.
We will follow the results through the week. For more on Singapore football, including the Young Lions’ 2-0 win over Hougang United, visit the Little Big Red Dot Sports section.
