The preparations are officially under way. The Singapore Lions have begun their ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 training camp in Okinawa, Japan, as head coach Gavin Lee puts his carefully selected 24-man squad through their paces ahead of what promises to be a demanding and exciting regional championship. The Lions arrived in Okinawa on 6 July and will remain in Japan until 17 July, with three high-quality preparation matches against J-League opposition designed to sharpen the squad before competitive action begins.
Singapore Lions ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 Training: Gavin Lee’s Ambitious Programme
Head coach Gavin Lee has spoken openly about the ambition behind the Okinawa training camp, describing the schedule as deliberately designed to stress-test his squad in the crucial final weeks before the tournament begins. “As part of the final phase of our preparations, we will face three strong opponents in a short space of time,” Lee explained. “The schedule has been designed to test the team physically, mentally and tactically, while also challenging us to recover and prepare quickly between matches.”
The three opponents are no pushovers. Singapore will face J3 League outfit FC Ryukyu — a club with strong local connections to Okinawa — before taking on J4 League side Okinawa SV, and rounding off the camp with a clash against J2 League club Albirex Niigata. That final fixture carries a special resonance: the Albirex Niigata brand is also present in the Singapore Premier League, meaning the Lions will be going up against a sister club from Japan’s professional pyramid. These matches will give Lee a clear and unsparing picture of where his squad stands ahead of the competitive action.
The Lions began their local training phase on 23 June before departing for Japan, meaning this Okinawa camp represents the culmination of weeks of intensive preparation. The 24-man squad encompasses the finest domestic talent from across Singapore’s football ecosystem, along with overseas-based players who bring additional quality and tactical flexibility to Lee’s options.
Group A Challenge: Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia Await
The Singapore Lions’ ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 training in Okinawa has one clear objective: arrive in Group A ready to compete at the highest level of ASEAN football. Singapore have been drawn in one of the tournament’s most demanding groups, alongside defending champions Vietnam, powerhouses Indonesia, Cambodia, and the winner of a play-off between Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam. Only the top two from each group advance to the knockout rounds, making every group stage match absolutely critical.
The campaign opens on 24 July against Cambodia — a fixture that carries enormous importance for setting the right tone early. Singapore will be wary of underestimating their first opponents; Cambodia have improved significantly in recent years and the ASEAN Championship can produce upsets that reshape entire groups. A positive start against Cambodia will set the Lions up well for the more demanding encounters against Indonesia and defending champions Vietnam that follow.
Vietnam arrive as title holders and will be driven to retain their crown. Indonesia — a nation of 270 million with football passion running deep through every community — will have extraordinary support behind them. For Singapore, this is a group that will genuinely test everything Gavin Lee has built during his tenure as national coach.
Building on Singapore’s Exciting Momentum
There is genuine optimism surrounding the Lions heading into this tournament. The national team’s improvements under Gavin Lee have been steady and purposeful, and the squad confirmed for the ASEAN Hyundai Cup shows the depth of talent now available to Singapore, with experienced leaders like Hariss Harun providing the backbone alongside younger talents who are hungry to make their mark on the regional stage.
“Singapore is enjoying exciting times,” Lee said ahead of the tournament draw, and the Okinawa camp is the latest evidence of a national programme that is approaching preparation with real professionalism. Three matches against Japanese professional opposition, in a controlled and focused training environment on Okinawa island, is precisely the kind of preparation that separates serious contenders from those merely turning up.
The ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 kicks off on 24 July, with the group stage running through to 8 August before knockout rounds from 15 to 26 August. For Singapore’s football fans, the next six weeks are going to be unmissable. Keep up with all the action in our Sports section.
