‘Would have meant the world’: Fans disappointed, scalpers resell sold-out Singapore-Thailand football tickets

“That’s better than online ticketing because you know who’s buying the tickets,” said Mr Goh, who had waited in line for more than three hours.

Another Lions fan, who only wanted to be known as Mr Marcus, said that FAS could consider a centralised ticketing system where fans who regularly attend Singapore Premier League (SPL) games have some priority for national team matches, which are in high demand.

“Of course the flip side of it is that as long as people want to go, I’m very happy to have new fans watching football, and you might want to convert them,” he added.

For now, fans who were unable to snag tickets will have to be content with attending and organising their own watch parties.

“My plan is to bring my cousins to Boon Lay Community Club. I know that it might not have the same atmosphere; we can’t watch it live and nothing can recreate the atmosphere of a fully packed Jalan Besar Stadium,” said Mr Goh.

“But even if I’m not going, or other fans are not going, I do hope the fans can pack out the stadium, and make it a cauldron.”

CNA has contacted the FAS for more information, including the number of tickets released, as well as the Kallang Group about the time taken to relay the pitch at the National Stadium after the National Day Parade.