Opinion | As Premier League loses clubs and fans, Hong Kong football needs urgent action to survive

Standards are declining and with next season approaching there is no start date, no fixtures and no plan

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Hong Kong Premier League matches in front of empty stands are commonplace. Photo: Chan Kin-wa

Paul McNamara

Published: 12:00pm, 24 Jul 2024

Asked if he was frustrated over the ongoing wait to hear about a schedule and format for the new local football season, the Kowloon City vice-chairman, Andrew Mak Yung-pan, smiled and bit his tongue.

“It is still in progress, there is nothing set in stone,” said Mak, whose club are the newest top-flight addition.

Welcome to the Hong Kong Premier League (HKPL). Roughly one month before the 2024-25 campaign, we have no official start date, no fixture list and no plan for a competition now reduced to nine clubs.

In this respect, a local football association regularly accused of lacking expertise in marketing and promotion is performing down to expectations.

The Post’s recent three-part series about the health of Hong Kong football has identified a number of concerns. Among them, a declining Premier League that attracts little fan engagement, sponsorship or television money. And an insular local association whose chairman, Eric Fok Kai-shan, is the third generation of his family over 54 unbroken years to wield significant influence over football in the city.

Mahama Awal of Kwoon Chung Southern does his best to raise the pulse against Lee Man. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

The Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) is searching for a new representative team head coach following the resignation of Jorn Andersen in May, soon after Joaquin Tam Chau-long was axed as CEO, a position that remains vacant.