Singapore Delays Malaysia Game; FAS Says Sports Hub Needs More Preparation

Singapore "has postponed a highly anticipated football match against arch-rivals Malaysia over concerns that its state-of-the-art new sports complex is not ready to host the fixture," according to the AFP. Officials said that "there was no new date yet for the game, which was planned for August 8 as the inaugural football match at the soon-to-be-opened, 55,000-seat National Stadium." FA of Singapore General Secretary Winston Lee said, "Given the high turnout expected, and to ensure a truly memorable experience and spectacle for every spectator, FAS has concluded that it will need more time to prepare for the event." Singapore Sports Council CEO Lim Teck Yin said that "large crowds in the new facility could raise operational concerns." Lim said that to avoid potential problems, "the Sports Hub first had to host less complex events." Construction work "is still continuing in parts of the site and the surrounding area" (AFP, 5/26).