Singapore’s Under-17 boys open their AFC U17 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2027 qualifying campaign against Guam at 3.30pm today, 8 November 2026, at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium. Head coach Ashraf Ariffin takes a 23-player squad, named by the Football Association of Singapore, into four matches between 8 and 20 November, and only the group winner advances.
One winner, no second chances
Singapore are in Group E with Guam, India, Palestine and hosts Malaysia. The group is played as a single round robin in a centralised format in Kuala Lumpur, and only the group winner goes through to the Finals in May 2027.
Kick-off times are Singapore time. The opener is at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium:
- Sunday 8 November: Guam v Singapore, 3.30pm
- Wednesday 11 November: Singapore v India, 9pm
- Saturday 14 November: Malaysia v Singapore, 9pm
- Friday 20 November: Singapore v Palestine, 3.30pm
A squad built on Lion City Sailors
Fourteen of the 23 players are from Lion City Sailors, including all three goalkeepers, Ilhan Rezal, Naqeeb Shawaluddin and Safyn Sahar. Geylang International supply three, defender Lura Allessandro, midfielder Putera Irfan and forward Lura Rafael, and Tampines Rovers one, midfielder Arfan Khafiz.
The other five play their club football away from the Singapore system: defender Joel Tan at DAV Santa Ana, midfielder Aymann Aris at Sport Clube Salgueiros, midfielder Krishav Ram at Leixoes Sports Club, and midfielder Lai Keng Lum and forward Aidan Irfan, who are both at Club Madrid City.
Nine of the squad are students at St Joseph’s Institution (International). Seven played at the AFF U17 Championship in April, so 16 are new to this level of international football with the team.
Ashraf’s brief
“Our objective is clear – we want to be competitive in every match and give ourselves the best possible chance of qualifying for the Finals. We will take it one game at a time,” Ashraf said on 7 November.
“We may be up against teams with strong credentials, but we must not be daunted by the occasion,” he said when the squad was named on 5 November. “We want the players to embrace the challenge, learn from these experiences and show what they are capable of as a team.”
Ashraf also led Singapore’s Under-15s at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, where they played 10 eight-a-side matches across seven days in a 189-team field.
After Guam, Singapore play India on Wednesday at 9pm, the second of their four Group E fixtures.
