Next month, three Thane City FC squads will travel to Singapore for Singa Cup 2026, the international youth football tournament.

From 1 to 7 November, our Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 teams will take on clubs from Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and Mongolia.

For young footballers from Thane, that means new opponents, new playing styles and new challenges, all packed into one week. It is exactly the kind of experience we want our players to have. This is not our first time at the Singa Cup. Last year, our three age groups played 12 matches at the tournament and came home with plenty to learn from and plenty to be proud of. This year, they return with that experience behind them, ready to take the next step.

The draw

The draw is out. Each squad plays three group matches, and the teams that progress move into the knockout rounds.

• Under-12 (Group D): 1 Nov vs Chonburi FC Soccer School (Thailand); 1 Nov vs SG7 Soccer (Singapore); 2 Nov vs Holroyd Rangers Soccer Club (Australia)
• Under-14 (Group C): 3 Nov vs LS Talents Warriors (Australia); 4 Nov vs Hishigten FC (Mongolia); 4 Nov vs Conscient Sports Delhi (India)
• Under-16 (Group D): 3 Nov vs BISP Cruzeiro (Thailand); 3 Nov vs International School WA (Australia); 4 Nov vs 1v1 Football Club (Malaysia)

More than football

Results matter, and our players will give everything on the pitch. But a football tournament like the Singa Cup teaches far more than football. Players travel together and live as a team. They look after their kit, their routines and each other. They learn to bounce back from a tough game and be ready again the next morning. They meet young players from different countries and cultures, and discover that football is a language everyone speaks.

These are the life skills we work on every day through our Thane football coaching programmes: Confidence, Independence, Teamwork, Respect and Resilience. A week in Singapore puts all of them to the test at once. That is what holistic growth looks like for us. The player who comes home is not just a better footballer, but a more confident young person.

Our players are very excited. They will face teams from different countries with different styles of football. Every match will teach them something new, on and off the pitch. We want them to enjoy it, learn from it, and come back as better players and better people.

Sumit Barua, Head Coach of the Thane City FC Under-12 team

None of this would be possible without our parents. Sending a child abroad for a tournament takes a lot of trust, and we never take that lightly. Thank you for believing in our coaches, in our club and, most of all, in your children. When these young players walk out in Singapore, they will carry the name of Thane football with them. Our whole community stands behind them, and we cannot wait to share their stories when they return.

Source: Thane City FC (original English text)

Article Link: https://www.thanecityfc.com/news/thane-city-fc-singa-cup/