Singapore Rises Under Gavin Lee, a Tough Test Awaits Indonesia at the 2026 AFF Cup

Singapore is predicted to be a serious stumbling block for Indonesia in the opening match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, on Friday (25/9/2026) evening WIB. The revival of the Lions' football over the past two years makes this match more than just an ordinary opener; it is an early test of Indonesia's ambitions in the regional tournament.

Under the command of Gavin Lee, Singapore has transformed into a force to be reckoned with. The 36-year-old coach was made permanent head of The Lions on 28 November 2025 after previously serving as assistant and interim coach. His greatest achievement was leading Singapore to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals, a feat that revived old memories of when Singapore hosted the 1984 Asian Cup.

Gavin Lee's record as a player was hardly glittering. He only played for Singapore Cricket Club in 2011/2012 before deciding to hang up his boots a year later. However, his coaching career took off quickly. Starting as an analyst at Warriors FC, he then became an assistant coach at Tampines Rovers for two seasons alongside Jurgen Raab and Kadir Yahaya. In his third year, he was trusted as head coach and handled 154 matches over six seasons, delivering the 2018/2019 S-League title and the 2019/2020 Singapore Super Cup.

After a hiatus of about three years, Gavin Lee returned to coaching as Tsutomu Ogura's assistant with the Singapore national team for 16 international matches. When the collaboration with Ogura ended, Gavin Lee was appointed interim coach for five matches in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers. The results were satisfactory, and he was made permanent. From 14 matches in all competitions, he has recorded eight wins, three draws, and three losses — a record that underlines his capacity as a tactician.

Singapore's revival is also inseparable from the quality of their domestic competition. Although the S-League has only eight clubs, its ranking in the AFC league list is 15th, while the BRI Super League trails at 20th. The implication is that Singapore gets one automatic representative in the AFC group stage and one ticket through the play-off round. Indonesia is only represented by Persib, which must go through the play-off phase. This fact confirms that in terms of quality, the S-League is currently better than Indonesia's top-tier competition.

The positive impact is felt in the quality of Singapore's local players. Gavin Lee consistently recruits players from three main clubs: Tampines Rovers, Young Lions, and Lions City Sailors. The latter club is the largest contributor, with 11 of the 23 players brought to Indonesia coming from there. This composition makes Singapore's playing chemistry more cohesive compared to teams that rely on players from various different clubs.

"We did not come just to participate. We want to show that Singapore football has risen and is ready to compete at the highest level in Southeast Asia," Gavin Lee said at a pre-match press conference, as quoted from an official FAS statement.

For Indonesia, this match is no easy test. The team under the current coach must be able to dampen Singapore's rising momentum. The home crowd certainly hopes Indonesia can start the tournament with a win, but Singapore comes with high confidence after qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup. The big question is, can Indonesia use the home factor to stop The Lions' run, or will Singapore once again assert their revival in front of Indonesian supporters?