https://www.scmp.com/rss/315967/feed Kitchee Sports Club, founded in 1931, is one of the top teams in Hong Kong football. They have won the league title six times. They are based at Mong Kok Stadium en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Paul McNamara Paul McNamara A young Hong Kong footballer who has received personal guidance from Andres Iniesta and Ilkay Gundogan has had to pause his promising career because of the Iran war. Ryan Fok Jun-hei was in Dubai, where he plays for Gulf United, when the war began one day after he turned 19 on February 27. “It was scary for the first few days but you get used to it,” Fok said. “Alerts sound whenever there’s a potential missile threat and you stay inside. The UAE defence system is pretty good; we believed nothing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349839/middle-east-conflict-pauses-dream-hong-kong-footballer-taught-iniesta-gundogan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349839/middle-east-conflict-pauses-dream-hong-kong-footballer-taught-iniesta-gundogan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:30:13 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Inigo Calderon is urging Kitchee to wash away the bitter taste of cup final defeat and wrap up the Premier League on Sunday to prove they are “the best team in Hong Kong”. Victory over BC Rangers at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground would see head coach Calderon’s side crowned champions with four games to spare. They could even have their coronation confirmed earlier in the day should Lee Man, who beat Kitchee in Tuesday’s League Cup final, lose their game at North District. “We have a great chance to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349621/champions-elect-kitchee-out-show-they-are-best-team-hong-kong-despite-cup-final-flop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349621/champions-elect-kitchee-out-show-they-are-best-team-hong-kong-despite-cup-final-flop?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Dostonbek Tursunov put in a colossal performance in Lee Man’s 2-1 League Cup final victory over Kitchee on Tuesday, then outlined his desire for a World Cup meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. Capped seven times by Uzbekistan, the 30-year-old centre-back is on a 35-man longlist that head coach Fabio Cannavaro, the former Italy defender, will strip back to 26 for a tournament where his team are grouped with Ronaldo’s Portugal, Colombia and DR Congo. Named man of the match, Tursunov was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349258/lee-man-win-hong-kong-league-cup-following-victory-over-kitchee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349258/lee-man-win-hong-kong-league-cup-following-victory-over-kitchee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:59:38 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Four years after he arrived in Hong Kong planning a one-season stay, Ruslan Mingazov is on the cusp of what could be one of the most memorable weeks of his decorated career. A title winner in the Czech Republic and Latvia, with Slavia Prague and Skonto Riga respectively, Kitchee forward Mingazov is anticipating a “big battle and beautiful football” when his side clash with Lee Man in the League Cup final on Tuesday. While the Mong Kok Stadium showpiece is laced with jeopardy, victory for Kitchee... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349171/kitchee-international-star-eyeing-hong-kong-league-cup-success-begin-momentous-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3349171/kitchee-international-star-eyeing-hong-kong-league-cup-success-begin-momentous-week?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Written off in some quarters following his second serious knee injury at the age of 22, and ignored by the last Hong Kong manager, Jordan Lam Lok-kan is back in the international fold and targeting his second cap in India next week. Kitchee left-back Lam, who spent time with English club Bury a decade ago, pressed his selection claims when he lashed home the penalty that sealed the city team’s Chinese New Year Cup shoot-out victory over FC Seoul last month. Having underlined his reputation as a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347721/after-injuries-and-being-ignored-kitchees-jordan-lam-make-most-his-second-chance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347721/after-injuries-and-being-ignored-kitchees-jordan-lam-make-most-his-second-chance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:46:15 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara The local football association is navigating the “craziest Fifa window ever” after the eleventh-hour cancellation of Hong Kong’s friendly against Nepal uprooted preparations for next week’s Asian Cup qualifier in India. Having overcome the logistical nightmare of arranging Indian visas for players, the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) was given a fresh headache when its Nepalese counterparts scrapped plans for the match on Thursday because of heightening political tensions in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347574/hong-kong-football-bosses-scrambling-flights-india-after-nepal-friendly-cancelled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347574/hong-kong-football-bosses-scrambling-flights-india-after-nepal-friendly-cancelled?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Six years after he disappointed his mum by quitting school at 16, goalkeeper Pong Cheuk-hei is shining for record-breaking Kitchee and pressing for a senior international Hong Kong debut this month. “It was a good bet,” Pong said of his decision to abandon education after Ho Kwok-chuen, the former Hong Kong goalkeeper who was coaching at Resources Capital, asked the non-committed student: “If you’re just going to waste time in class why not come to train every day?” “I bet on myself that I could... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346712/hong-kong-goalkeeper-winning-bet-after-quitting-school-football?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346712/hong-kong-goalkeeper-winning-bet-after-quitting-school-football?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:15:58 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Darren Read acknowledged he was “a little bit shocked” to be thrust into the breach as interim Lee Man head coach, and downplayed his prospects of landing the permanent role. Promoted from assistant following the exit of Chu Siu-kei on Sunday, Read made a dream start three days later when he oversaw a League Cup semi-final victory over Tai Po, then relayed news to his audibly thrilled players that their triumph had secured “an extra bonus from the big boss”. They will meet the winners of next... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346345/hong-kong-football-boss-shocked-land-job-downplays-permanent-hopes-after-dream-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346345/hong-kong-football-boss-shocked-land-job-downplays-permanent-hopes-after-dream-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Jay Haddow said that reflecting on his decision to surrender Japanese citizenship “was always tough”, but the talented defender is convinced that obtaining a Hong Kong passport was the right call. Naturalised after a prolonged process last July, Haddow supplied the cross for fellow Kitchee player Juninho to open the scoring against FC Seoul on Saturday, as Hong Kong won the Chinese New Year Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Born in Hong Kong to a Japanese mother and British... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3344254/hong-kong-footballer-jay-haddow-making-peace-sacrificing-japanese-passport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3344254/hong-kong-footballer-jay-haddow-making-peace-sacrificing-japanese-passport?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:27 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Asier Illarramendi has delivered a Lunar New Year boost to Kitchee, the former Real Madrid midfielder revealing he is revelling in his instrumental role with the Hong Kong Premier League champions-elect, and happy to be living among “lovely people” in Kai Tak. Since his debut last November, the Spaniard has helped inspire Kitchee to nine straight victories, the latest of which was a 1-0 win over second-placed Lee Man on Sunday that opened a mammoth 12-point gap at the league summit. And the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3343885/ex-real-madrid-player-asier-illarramendi-loving-kitchee-winning-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3343885/ex-real-madrid-player-asier-illarramendi-loving-kitchee-winning-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Kitchee have completed the statement capture of former Real Sociedad forward Martin Merquelanz, sending a message of intent to their pursuers at the local league summit. The 30-year-old Merquelanz, who was most recently with FC Andorra in the Spanish second tier, made the last of his 18 appearances for two-time La Liga champions Sociedad away at Atletico Madrid in May 2021. His senior debut for the club came as a substitute for now-Kitchee teammate Asier Illarramendi away against SD Eibar in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342367/hong-kong-club-kitchee-sign-former-la-liga-attacker-martin-merquelanz-show-intent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342367/hong-kong-club-kitchee-sign-former-la-liga-attacker-martin-merquelanz-show-intent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:41 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara The Hong Kong midfielder Jesse Yu Joy-yin has completed a deadline day transfer back to Eastern from China League One club Shijiazhuang Gongfu. Yu moved in the opposite direction just 12 months ago, but he has returned from the mainland after making 17 appearances during a largely frustrating stay. Eastern were yet to confirm the capture of Yu on Monday night, but sources have told the Post a deal has been agreed and confirmation is imminent. The 24-year-old playmaker has 19 Hong Kong caps. He... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341298/hong-kong-club-eastern-stage-coup-re-sign-star-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341298/hong-kong-club-eastern-stage-coup-re-sign-star-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:03:39 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Kitchee christened their new Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground home with a 4-2 victory over listless defending champions Tai Po on Sunday, underlining their resurgence under Inigo Calderon and opening up a nine-point gap at the local league summit. Not that Calderon, the head coach, was entirely happy after his side lost control of a game they led 4-0 at half-time. “We’re feeling bad after we beat the champions, which is good because that’s the level we want to reach, but we relaxed in the second half... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341170/hong-kong-giants-kitchee-christen-new-home-style-leaving-champions-tai-po-muddle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3341170/hong-kong-giants-kitchee-christen-new-home-style-leaving-champions-tai-po-muddle?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:58:26 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Football chiefs in Asia plan to launch a new Nations League, opening up the prospect of Hong Kong playing more regular games against the likes of China, Chinese Taipei and others in the region. Officials at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said the new competition would be aimed at improving standards and commercial opportunities for international teams across the continent. While no ⁠start date was given by the Kuala Lumpur-based governing body, it said it intended to use existing Fifa... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337282/hong-kongs-footballers-could-play-china-chinese-taipei-regularly-new-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3337282/hong-kongs-footballers-could-play-china-chinese-taipei-regularly-new-league?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 05:55:47 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Tai Po’s footballers had their community in mind as they returned to domestic action on Thursday following the fire that killed at least 159 people in the district. All ticket proceeds from the match were donated to the Wang Fuk Court support fund, while on the pitch, Tai Po shared a 1-1 draw with North District. Philip Chan Siu-kwan turned home a 51st-minute cross from Fernando to give Tai Po the lead at North District Sports Ground in Sheung Shui, although the goal was awarded only after a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3335234/tai-po-players-here-help-community-they-play-first-match-hong-kong-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3335234/tai-po-players-here-help-community-they-play-first-match-hong-kong-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:17:55 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara With the Hong Kong team set for a changing of the guard after the departure of head coach Ashley Westwood, a bright international future has been predicted for young Kitchee defender Jason Kam Chi-kin. Kam should be among the new wave of players pressing for recognition following the failure to reach the 2027 Asian Cup finals, according to Kitchee head coach Inigo Calderon. A poised display in the league leaders’ 1-0 win over Eastern District on Tuesday was the latest staging post in Kam’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3335085/kitchee-coach-sees-bright-international-future-jason-kam-defender-not-sure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3335085/kitchee-coach-sees-bright-international-future-jason-kam-defender-not-sure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:17 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara After Inigo Calderon quit playing football in 2019, he planned to travel the world for a year, indulging his fondness for “going out and feeling free”. Instead, he ended up in management, and now finds himself in the Hong Kong Premier League, leading Kitchee’s resurgence. The 43-year-old threw himself into Hong Kong’s mountains and hiking trails to banish initial feelings of being stifled by the weather, crowds and noise, but he has begun generating plenty of commotion of his own. So ordinary... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3334616/not-typical-footballer-how-inigo-calderon-stands-out-hong-kong-crowd?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3334616/not-typical-footballer-how-inigo-calderon-stands-out-hong-kong-crowd?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 09:08:43 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Roberto Losada has said he would be “super-ready” to become the new Hong Kong head coach if asked, after Ashley Westwood vacated the position on Monday. Speaking at a press conference ahead of his Eastern team’s AFC Champions League Two clash with Gamba Osaka on Thursday, Losada originally said it was “not the moment” to talk about the city team post. A Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) official then moved to shut down the topic, but Losada said: “The only thing I can say is I’m... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3334269/hong-kong-seeks-new-football-coach-roberto-losada-says-he-super-ready?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3334269/hong-kong-seeks-new-football-coach-roberto-losada-says-he-super-ready?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 23:00:17 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Juninho has backed Hong Kong to handle the pressure of two potentially make-or-break Asian Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh this month. Aiming to reach a second straight finals, the city team are set for their first visit to Bangladesh since a goal from current Lee Man head coach Chu Siu-kei sank the hosts back in March 2006. After the October 9 clash in Dhaka, Hong Kong will welcome their rivals to Kai Tak Stadium on October 14. Two victories could be enough to leapfrog Group C leaders... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3327594/hong-kong-backed-handle-pressure-crunch-asian-cup-clashes-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3327594/hong-kong-backed-handle-pressure-crunch-asian-cup-clashes-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 01:00:12 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Rejuvenated Kitchee survived a late Lee Man onslaught to claim a thrilling 3-2 victory over their big-spending rivals on Saturday. Goals from Kendy Ikegami, Yumemi Kanda and Adrian Revilla gave Kitchee a three-goal cushion after 74 minutes at a sodden Mong Kok Stadium. But Willian Gaucho’s deflected 83rd-minute strike gave Lee Man hope, and Kitchee right-back Law Tsz-chun turned a cross from Poon Pui-hin into his own net three minutes later to set up a grandstand finish. Kitchee, though,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3326258/hong-kong-premier-league-kitchee-survive-late-lee-man-fightback-5-goal-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3326258/hong-kong-premier-league-kitchee-survive-late-lee-man-fightback-5-goal-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 11:43:36 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Kitchee have staged a notable coup after completing the signing of former Real Madrid and Spain midfielder Asier Illarramendi. The 35-year-old featured 11 times in Madrid’s 2013-14 Champions League-winning campaign. In two seasons with the Spanish giants, he made 90 appearances under boss Carlo Ancelotti and also won the Club World Cup and Copa del Rey. Illarramendi spent most of his career with boyhood club Real Sociedad, playing more than 250 games in two spells either side of his time with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325108/former-real-madrid-and-spain-footballer-agrees-join-hong-kong-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325108/former-real-madrid-and-spain-footballer-agrees-join-hong-kong-club?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 01:44:42 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Kitchee laid down a marker for the new Hong Kong Premier League campaign with a fully-merited 1-0 victory over Eastern in front of a bumper crowd on Friday night. The 2,706 attendance inside Mong Kok Stadium for a thoroughly watchable contest was larger than any gate for a top-flight game last season. Twelve-times champions Kitchee gave first starts to four of their summer signings, but it was Cheng Chin-lung, a 27-year-old graduate from the club’s youth system, who made the breakthrough after... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3323718/hong-kong-giants-kitchee-begin-premier-league-campaign-statement-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3323718/hong-kong-giants-kitchee-begin-premier-league-campaign-statement-success?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:00:19 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Champions Tai Po are geared up for a meeting with big-spending Lee Man on Saturday, as the new Hong Kong Premier League campaign gets under way with a bumper weekend of matches. Eastern District, who have joined what is now a 10-team top flight, will go to last season’s assured new boys Kowloon City on Sunday. The whole show gets on the road when Eastern host Kitchee on Friday at Mong Kok Stadium. North District, tipped by a lot of insiders for a vastly improved campaign, host Football Club on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3323588/hong-kong-premier-league-lee-man-pip-tai-po-title-more-silverware-eastern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3323588/hong-kong-premier-league-lee-man-pip-tai-po-title-more-silverware-eastern?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The appearance in Hong Kong of Cristiano Ronaldo, one of football’s greatest players, has thrilled fans and further boosted the city’s reputation as a host for the sport’s superstars. Ronaldo fever will reach a peak on Saturday evening, when his Al-Nassr team plays rivals Al-Ahli at Hong Kong Stadium in the Saudi Super Cup final. The competition has built on the success of the Football Festival last month, which featured three leading English teams and one from Italy. A crowd of more than 30,000... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322776/hong-kong-needs-more-facilities-ensure-football-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322776/hong-kong-needs-more-facilities-ensure-football-all?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Lars Hamer,Paul McNamara Lars Hamer,Paul McNamara Football clubs in Hong Kong have called for better communication from the city’s governing body after it cancelled bookings of facilities to hand them over to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and their rival Saudi Super Cup teams. Recreational groups and Premier League clubs received messages at late notice stating that pitches were to be taken off them so that the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) could block-book them for the four visiting Saudi sides. Premier League club Eastern... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322323/hong-kong-footballers-say-pitch-bookings-were-cancelled-ronaldos-team-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322323/hong-kong-footballers-say-pitch-bookings-were-cancelled-ronaldos-team-use?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 04:58:09 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Yip Ka-yu is set to return to BC Rangers after the goalkeeper had his rape conviction overturned in June. In October 2023, Yip was sentenced to five years and three months in prison after he was convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl. The Court of Appeal determined that Yip had been left with no chance of receiving a not-guilty verdict, because the trial judge did not mention to the jury that he might have been under the “genuine but mistaken belief” that the complainant agreed to have sex with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3322095/hong-kong-footballer-resume-career-after-rape-conviction-overturned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3322095/hong-kong-footballer-resume-career-after-rape-conviction-overturned?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 11:26:24 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Barely a fortnight before the action begins, it has been confirmed that the Hong Kong Premier League will undergo a significant overhaul for the new campaign. The promotion of Eastern District has given the local top flight a 10th team, and led to last season’s three-round format being kicked into touch. Instead, the sides will play one another home and away, before being divided into single-round-robin Championship and Challenge groups for the closing fixtures. Each team will play a total of 22... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3321750/new-look-hong-kong-premier-league-back-bang-local-fa-reveals-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3321750/new-look-hong-kong-premier-league-back-bang-local-fa-reveals-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:30:17 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara For Roger Riera, the new Kitchee centre-back, it was both a blessing and a curse that his emergence at Barcelona coincided with the club’s greatest era. An awestruck Riera trained with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Andres Iniesta. On the flip side, he could see no way into the Catalans’ glittering squad, so he left for Nottingham Forest three months after captaining Barcelona to the 2014 Uefa Youth League title. “It was always my dream to reach the Barcelona first team, and when we won the youth... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3320522/messi-and-neymars-former-barcelona-colleague-bringing-winning-mentality-kitchee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3320522/messi-and-neymars-former-barcelona-colleague-bringing-winning-mentality-kitchee?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 03:16:13 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Midfield enforcer Tan Chun-lok has revealed how 3½ years in England toughened him physically and mentally, and the Kitchee player is eager for another shot at playing in Europe or on mainland China. After relocating to Brooke House Football Academy in 2009, Tan soon signed for Peterborough United. In summer 2011, he joined Northampton Town, around the same time as current Hong Kong head coach Ashley Westwood arrived as a first-team player. “England helped me build my personality; it was my first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3319015/hong-kong-stalwart-tan-chun-lok-reveals-gains-england-stint-wants-another-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3319015/hong-kong-stalwart-tan-chun-lok-reveals-gains-england-stint-wants-another-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 02:00:14 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara More familiar with the inner workings of English football, Inigo Calderon has been juggling a crash course in the game in Hong Kong with the “more stressful” task of trying to find schools for his two young children. The former Brighton & Hove Albion defender was made Kitchee head coach on July 4, exactly two months after being sacked from his job with Bristol Rovers, who were relegated to League Two in April. With his family based in England, the 43-year-old initially felt the move east was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3318896/ex-brighton-defender-calderon-juggles-kitchee-demands-stress-hong-kong-school-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3318896/ex-brighton-defender-calderon-juggles-kitchee-demands-stress-hong-kong-school-system?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:18 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Inigo Calderon has been tasked with returning the good times to Kitchee after he was appointed head coach of the Hong Kong giants. Kitchee have been searching for a new boss since it was confirmed in April that Edgar Cardoso would leave after delivering the club’s first trophyless season since 2009-10. It is believed John Morling, technical director of the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA), and a former Brighton academy manager, helped broker... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3316902/hong-kong-giants-kitchee-appoint-former-brighton-defender-head-coach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3316902/hong-kong-giants-kitchee-appoint-former-brighton-defender-head-coach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 04:00:23 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Lee Man have announced a 12-player clear-out following a trophyless season for the deposed Hong Kong Premier League champions. Henri Anier, the league’s joint-top scorer during Lee Man’s invincible previous campaign in 2023-24, is among the headline departures. Defender Ryan Tafazolli has left following the expiry of his loan from Wycombe Wanderers, while Brazilian forwards Paulinho Simionato and Samuel Rosa have not had their contracts renewed. Timothy Chow, the 19-year-old Hong Kong defender,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3316407/hong-kong-fallen-giants-lee-man-and-kitchee-swing-axe-release-25-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3316407/hong-kong-fallen-giants-lee-man-and-kitchee-swing-axe-release-25-players?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:45:09 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Hong Kong defender Helio Goncalves has urged the city’s young prospects to get serious or risk failing to fulfil their potential. Goncalves, who was recently released by Kitchee following 11 silverware-laden seasons, said that even into his 40th year he would routinely beat the youngsters to training. “In Hong Kong there are lots of players with huge potential, but something is missing,” Goncalves added. “They need to be pushed. “I always told them they needed to arrive early [for training], go... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3314877/hong-kong-footballer-says-young-players-need-push-themselves-harder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3314877/hong-kong-footballer-says-young-players-need-push-themselves-harder?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara More than 17 years after she handed over the DVDs that secured her honeymooning son a sudden move to Hong Kong, Helio Goncalves’ mother would like him back in Brazil to work in the family’s boat licensing business. Released by Kitchee last month after 11 years at the club, centre-back Goncalves is hunting for a new employer. But the 39-year-old, who spent his opening six years in Hong Kong with Citizen, is planning to keep mum waiting. “Hong Kong is my place, I became a better man here –... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3314511/why-brazilian-football-veteran-refuses-leave-hong-kong-after-17-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3314511/why-brazilian-football-veteran-refuses-leave-hong-kong-after-17-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:24 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The “mother of Asian women’s football”, Veronica Chan Yiu-kam, was an inspirational figure who dedicated her life to the game. She founded the Hong Kong Ladies Football Association in 1965 and helped establish the Asian Women’s Football Federation three years later. Chan, who died last month at the age of 102, was instrumental in forging a path for the women’s game. The work she began continues. Women’s football has grown dramatically globally in recent years and is developing in Hong Kong, but... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3313762/chan-legend-must-live-womens-football?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3313762/chan-legend-must-live-womens-football?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 22:30:07 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Vicky Chung Pui-ki has called on the government to pump more money into women’s football in the city, as Hong Kong ramp up preparations for the start of their AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in late June. In tri-series matches over the past week, the city team drew with hosts Bhutan and beat Malaysia in their last scheduled fixtures before they battle the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Cambodia for one spot in the 2026 finals in Australia. Chung said the women’s game in Hong Kong had “grown up” since... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3312705/hong-kong-womens-footballer-calls-government-backing-team-eyes-asian-cup-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3312705/hong-kong-womens-footballer-calls-government-backing-team-eyes-asian-cup-return?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jun 2025 09:30:08 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara While Manchester United sank farther from competitive relevance this week, Hong Kong’s own fallen giants were plotting a speedy return to local supremacy. Unlike United’s decade-long drift to the margins, Kitchee’s drop-off has been sharp and shocking. When they won the Senior Shield in February 2024, the interim head coach Kim Dong-jin fielded questions about landing a potential quadruple. Ultimately, they did not come close to more silverware, and, certainly in terms of results, this has been... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3311568/kitchee-confident-avoiding-manchester-united-style-decline-closing-new-boss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3311568/kitchee-confident-avoiding-manchester-united-style-decline-closing-new-boss?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 10:00:34 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Women’s headline act Wrexham launched their debut HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens campaign with a pair of tense 1-0 victories on Friday night. In their opening game, against Chonburi FC of Thailand, Grace Morris scored the only goal for the Welsh club, who gained global prominence after their 2021 Hollywood takeover by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. In their second match, Ava Suckley scored to beat Singapore team Eastern Thunder. The 2024 runners-up, Kitchee, began with a 1-1... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310712/wrexham-flier-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-former-arsenal-star-sent-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310712/wrexham-flier-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-former-arsenal-star-sent-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 13:26:33 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Aston Villa’s captain at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens has said he will be channelling his illustrious clubmate Youri Tielemans as his side aim for an eighth title this weekend. Todd Alcock is playing in his third Soccer Sevens at Hong Kong Football Club after victory in his first in 2023 and defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion in last year’s final. This year, he has his sights set on a third consecutive final and going one better than 12 months ago. “The last two years, we’ve had a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3310487/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-aston-villa-captain-taking-tips-tielemans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3310487/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-aston-villa-captain-taking-tips-tielemans?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 00:45:07 +0000 Captain Helio Goncalves called for a failing and demoralised Kitchee squad to “find strength from nowhere” to help the club “rise again”. For the second successive year, the 12-times league champions have imploded in the closing months of the season. And, like predecessor Kim Dong-jin last season, Edgar Cardoso, the head coach, has paid for the slump with his job. After his side surrendered 4-0 at Lee Man on Saturday, Cardoso revealed he had been told he would not be staying in charge beyond the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306328/kitchee-captains-toughest-moment-hong-kong-tips-ailing-club-rise-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306328/kitchee-captains-toughest-moment-hong-kong-tips-ailing-club-rise-again?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Apr 2025 07:00:08 +0000 Head coach Edgar Cardoso has been told his time at Kitchee is coming to an end after he oversaw the club’s first season without a trophy in more than a decade. The Portuguese, who will stay in charge until his contract expires this summer, learned his fate in a meeting with club president Ken Ng Kin after a 2-1 home loss to North District last week. He revealed the news moments after a dire 4-0 defeat at Lee Man on Saturday, as the club’s supporters noisily called for his removal. “I’m out of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306302/kitchee-sack-boss-cardoso-head-coach-learning-fate-lee-man-thumping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306302/kitchee-sack-boss-cardoso-head-coach-learning-fate-lee-man-thumping?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Apr 2025 00:00:11 +0000 After being enlisted as a false nine, Philip Chan Siu-kwan looked every inch an authentic centre-forward as he scored his first career hat-trick in Tai Po’s thrilling 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Kitchee on Saturday. Kitchee appeared to be cruising towards a semi-final date with Eastern or Kowloon City when they led 2-0 at Mong Kok Stadium following well-taken goals from Fernando and Sherzod Temirov. Chan’s smart 38th-minute headed finish brought demons flooding to the surface for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300686/hong-kong-fa-cup-kitchee-boss-furious-after-chan-hat-trick-seals-tai-po-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300686/hong-kong-fa-cup-kitchee-boss-furious-after-chan-hat-trick-seals-tai-po-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 13:08:46 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium will officially open on March 1, the government has revealed, as the venue hosted about 50,000 people as part of a stress test on Tuesday night. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui announced the date as officials reviewed Tuesday’s trial, which included the stadium’s retractable roof being open for the first time during a football match and noise-level tests at nearby residential estates. “After the many drills we have conducted, we are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3297349/hong-kongs-kai-tak-stadium-officially-open-march-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3297349/hong-kongs-kai-tak-stadium-officially-open-march-1?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Feb 2025 16:28:51 +0000 Edgar Cardoso said defeat by leaders Tai Po on Sunday would end his Kitchee team’s title hopes, as the coach conceded he “could not answer” how long he would retain the support of owner Ken Ng Kin. Premier League champions for three successive years before Lee Man knocked them off their perch last season, Kitchee are languishing in fourth place, 12 points behind Tai Po. They have played two fewer games than the table-toppers, but their Portuguese boss acknowledged anything bar victory at the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3296283/kitchee-boss-says-tai-po-clash-must-win-cannot-answer-whether-owner-will-keep-faith?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3296283/kitchee-boss-says-tai-po-clash-must-win-cannot-answer-whether-owner-will-keep-faith?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2025 13:03:09 +0000 Edgar Cardoso said Hong Kong football would rapidly develop if the city’s leading clubs joined the Chinese Super League. The Portuguese coach has quietly parted the storm clouds that gathered over Kitchee last season, following his appointment as head coach. His team beat China League One side Guangxi Pingguo Haliao 4-1 in a mainland friendly last Saturday. And the 41-year-old said playing mainland sides more regularly would be of great benefit to the city’s better teams. “These opponents force... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3286860/hong-kongs-best-teams-should-play-chinese-super-league-kitchee-boss-cardoso-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3286860/hong-kongs-best-teams-should-play-chinese-super-league-kitchee-boss-cardoso-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 03:00:21 +0000 Edgar Cardoso, the Kitchee head coach, has revealed how the outbreak of war in Ukraine has turned his life and career upside down. The Portuguese was working as the academy manager at Shakhtar Donetsk when he was forced to flee Kyiv, fearing for his life, following the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. Cardoso said the ordeal affected him psychologically and led to nightmares. Following communication from his country’s embassy over the prospect of deadly fighting, Cardoso’s wife and young... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3280842/escape-hong-kong-football-coach-recalls-terrifying-evacuation-ukraine-russia-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3280842/escape-hong-kong-football-coach-recalls-terrifying-evacuation-ukraine-russia-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Oct 2024 03:45:08 +0000 Diego Simeone said travelling to Hong Kong for preseason was a “big step forward for Atletico Madrid” that could help the club grow. The La Liga giants faced Kitchee on Wednesday as part of their preparations for the new season and ran out comfortable 6-1 winners at Hong Kong Stadium. Atletico, who as part of their tour donated HK$1 million (US$128,000) towards football development in Hong Kong, are the first elite European side to play a match in the city since Manchester City in 2019. And team... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3273621/hong-kong-tour-big-step-forward-european-giants-atletico-madrid-says-diego-simeone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3273621/hong-kong-tour-big-step-forward-european-giants-atletico-madrid-says-diego-simeone?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:21:09 +0000 Edgar Cardoso said the manner of his appointment as Kitchee head coach was “not so easy”, but obtaining a senior managerial post had been a “life target”. The 41-year-old Portuguese unofficially took charge late last season, with interim boss Kim Dong-jin relegated to a subsidiary role as Kitchee’s campaign nosedived. Last month, Cardoso was confirmed as the permanent replacement for Kim, who will take charge of Kitchee’s under-22s. “The team was going through a strange and difficult moment [at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3269645/kitchees-new-coach-edgar-cardoso-says-fresh-signings-can-turn-clubs-fortunes-around?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3269645/kitchees-new-coach-edgar-cardoso-says-fresh-signings-can-turn-clubs-fortunes-around?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2024 12:00:17 +0000 Hong Kong-born Jay Haddow is “excited and optimistic about the future” after joining boyhood club Kitchee, following a challenging two years with former club Blackburn Rovers. Haddow, who has signed a one-year contract, will count as a foreigner, given his dual British and Japanese nationality. The former Japan under-19 right back is “undecided” about acquiring the Hong Kong passport that would make him eligible for the representative team. Haddow’s return to the city, eight years after leaving... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3269107/ex-blackburn-rovers-defender-ready-help-kitchee-return-top-hong-kong-pile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3269107/ex-blackburn-rovers-defender-ready-help-kitchee-return-top-hong-kong-pile?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 04:00:15 +0000 Hong Kong football’s fallen giants Kitchee are to refocus on becoming the “Ajax of Asia”, after appointing Edgar Cardoso as head coach to lead a new-look, bright, young team. Club president Ken K Ng has also hit back at accusations he strung along some of the club’s former stars by delaying telling them they were no longer wanted, saying he feared they would “give up” if they knew before the end of the season. Champions in the previous three completed seasons, Kitchee slumped to fourth in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268428/ajax-asia-fallen-hong-kong-giants-kitchee-model-rebuild-european-royalty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268428/ajax-asia-fallen-hong-kong-giants-kitchee-model-rebuild-european-royalty?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2024 10:00:17 +0000