Lion City Sailors host BG Pathum United in their ACL Two 2026/27 Group F opener tonight, Thursday 17 September 2026, at Jalan Besar Stadium. Kick-off is 6pm SGT. It is Mark Jackson’s first official match on the touchline after his work visa cleared earlier this week.
The Sailors’ own preview frames the night as the start of a new continental chapter under the Englishman, who won the 2023/24 AFC Cup with Central Coast Mariners and coached Buriram United into the ACL Elite quarter-finals last season.
Why BG Pathum matters
BG Pathum finished fourth in Thai League 1 last season to reach ACL Two. The visitors arrive with new faces including Ryan Edwards, Anthony Belmonte, Fabio Kaufmann and 1.95m Brazilian striker João Magno, who scored twice at the weekend. The Thai core still includes Chanathip Songkrasin, Kritsada Kaman and captain Sarach Yooyen.
Jackson told the pre-match press conference he faced Pathum in pre-season while at Buriram and knows their coach and shape. He also said the turnaround is tight, so he will not load new ideas overnight, but he expects a positive home performance.
Sailors context
Captain Hariss Harun pointed to the home crowd at Jalan Besar and to Jackson’s knowledge of Thai football as edges for the group-stage start. The club reached the AFC Cup final in May 2025 and wants a deeper run than last season’s group exit.
Full previews and team notes sit on lioncitysailorsfc.sg. Kick-off: 6pm SGT, Jalan Besar Stadium, Thursday 17 September.
