The Local Football Club Scene in Hong Kong
All eyes are on Brazil, but what’s going on at home? Local teams are suffering and need our support.
Hong Kong is on the brink of history: it’s about to establish its first ever Premier League. Wait, it didn’t have one already? Nope. And despite having Asia’s oldest league circuit—it dates back to 1908—Hongkongers aren’t supporting local teams. “Football is a passion for many people in Hong Kong. However, this passion and enthusiasm has yet to be translated into watching local football,” says Mark Sutcliffe, CEO of the Hong Kong Football Association. “Local people perceive that the quality of local football is poor—although I would contend that it is improving.”
What’s the problem?
Local soccer has been suffering from a general despondence: attendance is low, facilities need investment, sponsors are hard to come by, and players’ salaries don’t exactly stand up to the English Premier League. “When compared to the best leagues in the world, which you can watch from the comfort of your home, there is no doubt that [local football] is of an inferior standard,” says Sutcliffe. “Similarly, the match-day experience, the atmosphere, the stadiums, the entertainment value—these are all things that need to be enhanced.”
So what’s the plan?
Creating Hong Kong’s inaugural Premier League is a pricy venture, not without its challenges—in fact, it may not even happen. A minimum of eight teams need to sign up by September. Some have already said no—mainly due to financial constraints—and others are wavering. But Sutcliffe is upbeat: “The new Premier League is an important part of our strategy to get more people involved in local football. A strong professional league will inspire the next generation of players to take up football and also provide better players for our teams—which in turn generates more interest.”
Who should I support?
Check out this Who’s Who of the SAR’s best squads.
Champions: Kitchee SC
Hong Kong’s best team and the current league champions. They’ve been undefeated in the First Division League this season: a whopping 15 wins and three draws score them a place in Hong Kong’s hall of footie fame. They are now just the third team in more than three decades to win the league championship with an unbeaten record. Surprisingly, their only fail this season has been losing to Eastern Salon in the Hong Kong FA Cup final last month, depriving them of the chance to be trophy holders for the third year running. Ouch. These big hitters frequently play international teams such as Manchester United and Arsenal. In fairness, they don’t win.
Players to Watch: Spanish Fernando Recio Comí, 31; Hongkonger Lam Ka-wai, 29.
Newbies: Sun Pegasus FC
Finishing the season as runners-up in the league tables is a superb effort from relative newcomers Sun Pegasus. Points-wise they were neck-and-neck with rivals South China, but just pipped them to the league spot for their superior head-to-head record. The team has a strong fan base in its home districts of Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai.