Parliament
Singapore to consolidate three sports institutes into a single entity
Singapore will consolidate the Singapore Sport Institute (SSI), National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI), and Singapore Sports School (SSP) into a single entity. Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth Edwin Tong announced this in parliament on 10 March, stating that the move aims to streamline athlete support and development.
Singapore will consolidate the Singapore Sport Institute (SSI), National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI), and Singapore Sports School (SSP) into a single entity to unify all dedicated sports institutions under one structure.
Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth Edwin Tong announced this in parliament on 10 March while outlining the ministry’s spending plans for the year.
He stated that the integration aims to strengthen support for athletes and streamline coordination within the high-performance sporting ecosystem.
Phased integration to enhance Singapore’s sporting ecosystem
The integration process will occur in two phases.
SSI and NYSI will be merged next month, forming a new entity.
This entity will then combine with SSP “in a few years’ time,” Tong added. However, SSP will retain its identity and continue operating as a school.
“This consolidation will more closely integrate Sports School with the rest of the high-performance sporting ecosystem. We will also streamline touchpoints with stakeholders involved throughout an athlete’s life, such as parents and National Sports Associations (NSAs),” he said.
He emphasised that the move would enable the development of a centrally coordinated athlete pathway, ensuring better visibility and assurance for athletes throughout their sporting careers.
In a factsheet, the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth (MCCY) explained that the consolidation would enhance efficiency by integrating functions across the three institutions.
This includes creating a more structured “youth-to-senior support framework” to improve service delivery to athletes.
MCCY assured that SSP’s mission of providing academic support and pathways for student-athletes will remain unchanged. The consolidation will also reinforce partnerships with NSAs on athlete and pathway development.
Relocating SSP to Kallang as Singapore’s sports hub
All Team Singapore athletes will continue receiving their current level of support from NYSI and SSI after their integration into the new sports institute. No job losses are expected in any of the organisations.
“These moves will collectively strengthen and deepen the integration between the key aspects of high-performance sport,” Tong stated.
“We’ll have multiple layers of support converging around the athlete, supporting them through their journey, from youth right through to senior levels.”
MCCY also linked the restructuring to Singapore’s long-term sporting vision.
The ministry said the move aligns with plans shared by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the 2024 National Day Rally, where he announced that SSP would relocate from Woodlands to be part of the Kallang Alive Masterplan.
Kallang is envisioned as the new “home” for Team Singapore.
Plans include developing new sport science and sport medicine facilities, as well as national training centres for several key sports, all integrated under one roof for better synergy.
Tong acknowledged that it would take several years for the new Team Singapore home to materialise under the Kallang Alive Masterplan.
However, he stated that the government intends to “jumpstart the process” now by beginning organisational restructuring.
“Whilst we may not be able to speed up its physical redevelopment and construction, we can nonetheless start now to organise ourselves around an integrated structure, designed to push Singapore’s sporting excellence to new heights,” he said.
