Cardiff City defender Perry Ng has officially become a Singapore citizen, bringing the England-born footballer closer to representing the Lions on the international stage.
Ng, 30, announced the development on Sept. 27 by posting a photo of himself holding his Singapore passport. His citizenship was also confirmed by Football Association of Singapore president Forrest Li during the association’s annual congress.
The Liverpool-born defender has long expressed his desire to play for Singapore. His paternal grandfather, James Ng, was born in Singapore before moving to Liverpool, giving the footballer a longstanding family connection to the country.
Because his family background did not meet Singapore’s requirements for citizenship by descent, Ng’s application was processed under the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme. He obtained permanent residency in March 2025 before receiving citizenship this month.
Ng will not be available for Singapore’s ongoing FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign because the squad list has already been finalised. He must also complete the necessary FIFA eligibility procedures before he can officially play for the national team.
His earliest potential appearances could come during the November international window, when Singapore is scheduled to face Paraguay on Nov. 13 and five-time world champions Brazil on Nov. 17 at the National Stadium.
Ng has already spent considerable time around Singapore’s national football setup. He has returned regularly during international breaks, trained with the Lions and participated in activities involving Singapore’s younger national-team players.
He has also maintained personal ties to the country, including visiting his grandfather’s resting place in Bedok, sampling local food and taking part in community activities.
The right-back began his football journey with the Crewe Alexandra academy at the age of five and eventually played six seasons for the club’s senior side. He moved to Cardiff City in 2021 and has since established himself in England’s second tier.
Ng was named Cardiff City’s Player of the Year in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. He also recently signed a new two-year contract with the Welsh club.
For Singapore, his arrival adds an experienced defender who has spent much of his career playing professional football in England. His citizenship is now secured, but his international debut remains dependent on the completion of FIFA’s eligibility process.
With the Asian Cup scheduled for January 2027 in Saudi Arabia, Ng’s addition comes at a significant point for the Lions as the national team continues preparing for its upcoming international commitments.
The next major step will be seeing when Ng completes the FIFA process and receives his first opportunity to wear Singapore’s colours on the international stage.
