A Singapore minister has apologised after describing Hong Kong’s football players and fans as “idiots” following a 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier last week, according to multiple media reports.
David Neo, Singapore’s acting minister for culture, community and youth, “conveyed his apologies through email” to Rosanna Law of Hong Kong’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Law’s bureau confirmed on Friday.
Neo made the remarks in the changing room after Singapore’s 2–1 win at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium on 18 November, which secured the team’s first Asian Cup berth since 1984. Praising the Singapore squad for playing “like lions”, he also said that the Kong Kong side “played like idiots” and called their fans “bloody idiots.”
The comments drew criticism and prompted Neo to backtrack on social media. “I take back what I said. The Hong Kong team were really tough and their fans were fully behind them. That’s something we should respect, and let’s also get behind our Lions,” he wrote.
Law has said the incident would not affect the close sporting and cultural relationship between Hong Kong and Singapore.
The 2027 AFC Asian Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia. Hong Kong reached the finals in 2023, but that appearance came after a wait of more than half a century. The team had last qualified in 1968.
