Footballing Weekly: Singapore futsal team Kampung Buangkok to play in Brunei league in 2024
It receives FAS approval to play as there is no official futsal league in Singapore, has hired Malaysian coach to train the players
SINGAPORE — A Singapore-based futsal team is taking a big step for the sport, after it received approval to participate in the Brunei Futsal League (BFL) next year.
Kampung Buangkok Futsal Club, which was established in 2020, has been regularly playing in local futsal and street soccer tournaments, and is ready to expand its wings to regional competitions. However, there is no official futsal league in Singapore yet, prompting the club to look for opportunities around the region.
It received a letter of support on 25 August from the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to allow the team to participate in the BFL, whose new season begins in May 2024.
There were 12 teams that played in the 2023 BFL season, which is based in Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.
Kenneth Kwang, Kampung Buangkok's goalkeeper and spokesperson, joined the "Footballing Weekly" podcast show and said that the team has engaged the services of Malaysian futsal coach Thirunavukkarasu Nadarajah to train the players ahead of the league season.
The BFL season lasts about six months, and while the Kampung Buangkok players are planning to self-fund the participation costs - which could amount to about $100,000 - the team is also trying to raise part of the costs via sponsorships.
Futsal, an offshoot of football which is played indoors, has rules and regulations that are different from street soccer, which is more commonly played in Singapore. Kwang hopes that Kampung Buangkok's participation in the BFL will raise awareness of futsal in its truest format.
“This whole project is about experiencing the real futsal and bringing the futsal experience back to Singapore," he said.
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