Saifullah Akbar


Muhammad Saifullah bin Muhammad Akbar is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays either as a winger or attacking-midfielder for Singapore Premier League club Hougang United and the Singapore national team.

Youth and early life

At the age of six, he started playing football and quickly gained entry into the then-called Five Star Football Academy.

Club career

Touted as a prospective footballer ever since childhood, Saifullah participated in the Lion City Cup with Ikhsan Fandi playing for the NFA U-16.
Saifullah trained with Australian side Newcastle Jets in 2015, impressing their coaching staff. However, no deal was surfaced. Previously, he had a five-day training stint with Queens Park Rangers in England. Also, he had a two-week stint at FC Metz, funded by the Singapore Sport School.
On his debut, Saifullah scored a goal to secure a 6–4 win for Tampines Rovers over Hougang United in the Singapore League Cup. After training daily with the first team throughout the 2015 S.League season, he joined their Prime League squad with the aim of making the Singapore roster for the biannual 2017 SEA Games.
Saifullah joined Young Lions after his national service and played the out the remainder of the 2018 campaign. While on trial at Spanish club, CD Tenerife, he did enough to be offered a contract with the club's B team, however he chose to remain with Young Lions for the Singapore Premier League season due to developmental reasons. Saifullah became a key member of the Young Lions squad that season, featuring regularly on the wing under Fandi Ahmad.

International career

Saifullah represented Singapore at the 2013 Asian Youth Games in China. In 2016, he was called up for the Singapore U19s against Bahrain.
On 17 May 2021, Saifullah was called up to the Singaporean national team for the Asian World Cup qualifiers in June. On 3 June, he made his senior debut in a defeat to Palestine, coming on as a substitute for Hafiz Nor in the 65th minute.

Personal life

Saifullah's father is Akbar Nawas, who is his current head coach at Tampines Rovers. Saifullah volunteered for early national service enlistment. As a hobby, he plays guitar and sings and supports Chelsea.
In 2025, Saifullah started his own podcast channel on YouTube alongside his two friends interviewing local footballers on their career.

Career statistics

Club

;Notes

International

U23 International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
15 December 2019Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines3–07–0[Football at the 2019 Merlion Cup|2019 Southeast Asian Games – Men's tournament|2019 Southeast Asian Games]
211 May 2022Thiên Trường Stadium, Nam Định, Vietnam1–01–02021 Southeast Asian Games

U19 International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
14 September 2017Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar2–03-02017 AFF U-18 Youth Championship
28 November 2017MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia2–02–42018 AFC U-19 Championship qualification

Honours

Club

Tampines Rovers

International

Singapore U22

Individual