SINGAPORE -- Just a day after tickets were made available for purchase, Lion City Sailors have announced that their upcoming AFC Champions League Two final against Sharjah on May 18 has been sold out.
This will mean that a historic first continental decider to be played on Singaporean soil will be witnessed by approximately 10,000 -- a figure significantly higher than the average Singapore Premier League match that highlights just how monumental an event it will be.
After Jalan Besar Stadium -- the Sailors' home ground throughout the campaign -- was deemed unsuitable for the final, and with the 55,000-capacity National Stadium unavailable due to a Lady Gaga concert, Bishan Stadium emerged as the sole alternative in order for the match to remain hosted in Singapore.
Originally, Bishan's capacity could only hold approximately 2,800 but, as part of the requirements for it to be formally approved by the Asian Football Confederation as a suitable venue, works are currently ongoing to increase its capacity.
Even accounting for the allocation for away fans and the standard complimentary hospitality tickets given to VIPs and stakeholders, the fact that such a figure has sold out just over 24 hours after going on sale is further testament to the interest the match is garnering.
Following a remarkable run in Asian football's second-tier club competition despite their underdogs status, the Sailors have already made history by becoming the first Singaporean club to feature in a continental final.
On Monday, LCS chairman Forrest Li had already expressed his hope of a sell-out crowd, stating: "This final is not just a milestone for the Sailors -- it's a celebration of Singapore football.
"We can't wait to see the stands packed and the nation rallying behind the team."
While getting this far is a first for a team from Singapore, the Sailors boast one player who has experience on this stage in the form of captain Hariss Harun.
Back in 2015, Hariss was a pivotal member of the Johor Darul Ta'zim side which reached the final of the AFC Cup -- the previous iteration of the ACL Two.
On that occasion, JDT pulled off a 1-0 win away to Tajikistan's Istiklol to claim a first continental trophy for Malaysian football.