With Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visiting Hanoi on Tuesday and Wednesday, Lion City Sailors (LCS) Football Club and Cong An Ha Noi Football Club (CAHN FC) have announced a landmark collaboration to celebrate key milestones in both Vietnam and Singapore, as well as the strong bilateral ties between the two nations and peoples.

The highlight of this partnership will be an international friendly match in 2025, bringing together two of the region’s top clubs in a celebration of sport and friendship while further underscoring the deep and expanding ties between Singapore and Vietnam at all levels.     

Timed to honor Singapore’s 60th year of independence and Vietnam’s 80th year of independence, this exhibition match also signifies the deepening ties between the two nations, following the upgrade of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership this month.

This collaboration reflects the shared aspirations of LCS and CAHN FC to foster greater regional engagement in football and to use the sport as a bridge to strengthen people-to-people ties.

Both clubs will also look to collaborate and share expertise in youth development.

Forrest Li, chairman of Lion City Sailors FC, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “Football has the power to unite people across borders, and we are thrilled to work with Cong An Ha Noi FC to mark these historic national milestones."

This match will not only showcase top-tier footballing talent but also celebrate the enduring ties between Singapore and Vietnam, he added.

Major General Duong Duc Hai, chairman of Cong An Ho Noi FC, echoed this sentiment, “Sport has always played a crucial role in strengthening bilateral relations, and this friendly match is a fitting tribute to the strong and growing friendship between our two countries. We look forward to what promises to be an exciting and meaningful event for our fans.”

Further details regarding the match, including the venue and date, will be announced at a later stage.

Lion City Sailors Football Club was established in 2020 under the ownership of global Internet company Sea as Singapore’s first-ever privatized professional football club.

The club was known as Home United in its previous iteration, and under its new banner, the Sailors envision becoming a leader in excellence and professionalism in Singapore football and the region.

Fans are at the heart of the club that aims to embed itself in the local community and the country. While inspiring the local football fraternity and its youth to aim for the stars, the Sailors also aim to provide a supportive platform from which to shoot for those targets.

The club’s ethos will continue to be manifested through a modern and entertaining style of football, a firm commitment to youth development, professional conduct, and success on and off the football pitch.

The Sailors won their first Singapore Premier League title in 2021 -- the second year of the club’s existence -- a first step toward the vision of excellence and professionalism in a reinvigorated Singapore football fraternity.

Cong An Ha Noi FC is one of Vietnam’s most prestigious football clubs, with a storied history in Vietnamese football.

Competing in the V.League 1, CAHN FC is dedicated to promoting top-tier football while fostering talent development and international cooperation in the sport.

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