Singapore Premier League club FC Jurong officially entered a new chapter on May 16 after Indian-owned SKASports Investments announced the acquisition of a minority stake in NSG Global, the parent and operating company of the club till recently known as Albirex Niigata Singapore.
The partnership marks one of the most significant recent foreign investments into Singapore football and comes as the six-time league champions prepare to rebrand as FC Jurong from the 2026-27 season.
Founded in 2004 as the Singapore satellite club of Japan’s Albirex Niigata, the team has become one of the most successful clubs in the Singapore Premier League, winning six league titles, including the famous unbeaten “Invincibles” season in 2018.
The club’s women’s team also won the Singapore Women’s Premier League title in 2025 and qualified for the AFC Women’s Champions League Preliminary Stage for the 2026-27 season.
The investment was announced at a press conference at Jurong East Stadium before the club’s final league match of the season, where Albirex defeated Young Lions 3-0.
SKASports, founded in Chennai in 2023 by Indian sports entrepreneurs Rohit Ramesh and Sudhir Menon, has been steadily expanding its footprint in Asian football. The company already owns a minority stake in Cambodian Premier League club Angkor Tiger FC.
Mr Rohit, director of SKASports and also a shareholder and director of The Hindu Media Group, said the partnership was driven by a shared long-term vision.
“We are excited to partner with FC Jurong and begin this journey together. This partnership is built on a shared vision to strengthen the club’s foundations, enhance its overall value, and support its continued progression as a competitive and forward-looking football institution in Singapore,” he said.
Mr Rohit added that the investors saw strong potential to deepen engagement with Singapore’s Indian community while also building commercial links between India and Singapore.
“We feel that we have shared common inroads as to what both entities need to do, especially how we can develop the community more and commercialise the prospects of FC Jurong,” he said.
Mr Sudhir described the partnership as more than a football investment.
“Football has the power to bring people together in ways few institutions can anymore,” he said. “In an age where people are digitally connected but personally disconnected, football creates real communities.”
He stressed that the club’s ambitions extended beyond trophies and league standings.
“The purpose of the club is to be part of the community. We want people to come to the stadium, build friendships and make FC Jurong their first choice,” Sudhir said. “Winning the SPL and qualifying for AFC competitions are milestones on the journey, not the destination.”
Albirex chairman Daisuke Korenaga called the partnership one of the most important moments in the club’s history.
“Our goal is to build a club that will continue for 100 years,” he noted. “A football club does not exist only on the pitch. It is also a platform where players, fans, businesses, local communities, and cultures come together.”
Mr Daisuke said the partnership would help FC Jurong strengthen its links with both Singapore’s multicultural society and India’s huge football market.
“India is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, with nearly 1.5 billion people. Building strong connections with India is an important step as FC Jurong grows beyond Singapore and across Asia,” he said.
The club also plans to explore youth development initiatives, football academies and potential talent pathways involving Indian players.
Mr Sudhir revealed that discussions about the partnership began in late 2025 after Mr Korenaga visited Cambodia and held meetings linked to Angkor Tiger FC.
The investment comes during a period of major transition for the club. In 2024, Albirex shifted from being primarily a Japanese university-player outfit to a local club operating under standard Singapore Premier League regulations.
In April 2026, the club further signalled its ambitions by signing former Japan international Keisuke Honda for the upcoming season.
Football Association of Singapore general secretary Badri Ghent welcomed the deal, describing it as a significant development for the league.
“For FC Jurong, they have always been at the forefront of innovation and community engagement. This is a big success not just for the club but also for the Singapore Premier League,” he said.
While comparisons have been drawn with SPL champions Lion City Sailors, who are backed by tech giant Sea, Mr Daisuke stressed that FC Jurong would pursue a different path.
“The Sailors and FC Jurong are different clubs. They have their own model while we are focused more towards being a community club,” he said.
For SKASports, however, the vision is clear: To help build a football institution rooted in community, culture and long-term sustainability – while creating stronger sporting and commercial bridges between Singapore, Japan and India.
