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SINGAPORE — Even if most clubs are understandably active in bolstering their squads during the offseason, Lion City Sailors’ ongoing recruitment drive has gone into, well, overdrive.

If the country had four seasons, this might even be one day referred to as the mother of all summer sprees in Singapore Premier League history.

Instead, just like the year-round hot tropical weather, the Sailors frontline is set to be on fire in the 2025-26 season after their latest capture was unveiled on Thursday in the form of Brazilian striker Anderson Lopes.

A signing that has been rumoured to be on the cards for some time now, the Sailors have been a tease with each transfer announcement in recent times. And there have been quite a few indeed.

Having already signed Singapore stalwart Safuwan Baharudin on a loan deal and then made Portuguese wing-back Diogo Costa’s loan stint a permanent one, the Sailors in the past week or so also announced the arrivals of Croatian goalkeeper Ivan Sušak and German-Cameroonian midfielder Tsiy Ndenge.

Amidst all of that, there was also time to get coach Aleksandar Ranković to commit to a new two-year contract extension.

Nonetheless, on Thursday, the news that the Sailors faithful had been eagerly anticipating was confirmed with Lopes putting pen to paper on a three-year deal after the club agreed undisclosed terms with struggling J1 League giants Yokohama F. Marinos.

“I’m thrilled to join the Sailors at such an exciting point in their journey,” said the 31-year-old on the club’s official website.

“Their run to the ACL [AFC Champions League] Two final last season really caught my attention, and I’ve been impressed by the club’s vision and ambition to elevate Singapore football.

“Honestly, I didn’t know much about the Sailors or the Singapore Premier League, but the club showed me many good things, and I knew they were ACL Two finalists last season.”

Lopes arrives at the Sailors as the highest-scoring player in the J1 League — widely regarded as Asia’s most-competitive domestic competition — over the past four years with 69 goals, claiming the last two Golden Boot awards including one he shared with Yuya Osako in 2023.

He was also the second-highest scorer in last season’s AFC Champions League Elite, ahead of famous names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Ivan Toney and Aleksandar Mitrović, but it is not just his deadly ways in front of goal that has Ranković excited about his new weapon.

“To reach 100 goals in a league as competitive as the J1 speaks volumes about his quality,” acknowledged the Serbian tactician.

“But it’s not just about his goalscoring — Anderson is excellent at holding the ball up and just as capable of creating chances for his teammates.

“I’m confident he’ll be a tremendous asset to the team this season.”

Opposition defences are likely to have sleepless nights ahead of them given Lopes will joing an already-formidable Sailors attack boasting Maxime Lestienne, Shawal Anuar, Lennart Thy and Bart Ramselaar, who combined for a staggering 101 goals in all competition last term.

Putting these tremendously-gifted pieces will be the welcome headache Ranković will have on his hands next season, although there should be plenty of opportunity given the Sailors are not only looking to defend the domestic league and cup double they won in 2024-25 but also make waves on the regional and continental stage in the form of the ASEAN Club Championship and ACL Two.

And while retaining the SPL should remain the primary goal, last season’s fairy tale run to the ACL Two final — which is accompanied by the coveted prize of ACL Elite qualification — could result in continental success being very high on the agenda as well.

Sailors executive director Bruce Liang certainly acknowledged Lopes’ track record on this front, stating: “The opportunity to sign a player of Anderson’s calibre was one we couldn’t pass up.

“He’s a proven match-winner with an elite mindset, and that’s reflected in his consistently outstanding performances at the highest level of Asian football.”

And for Lopes himself?

“The ACL [Elite] is my favourite competition because you’re always playing against the best teams in Asia,” he added.

“Now I’m playing in ACL Two with the Sailors, but that’s okay. I’ll still give my best to help the team. Hopefully we win the title and qualify for the Elite next season.”

“My objectives are clear: I’m here to contribute, to score goals, to win trophies, and to help the team make a real impact in Asia.”

• Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 launches Environmental Sustainability Programme across all eight host venues, targeting measurable carbon reductions and circular resource use.
• Venue-specific green initiatives funded nationwide, including EV charging at Northampton, biodiversity projects in Brighton, and LED upgrades in Exeter and Sunderland.
• World Rugby continues its sustainable efforts with post-tournament carbon reporting and alignment to UN Sport for Climate Action Framework.

The programme was unveiled at the recent Sustainable Innovation Series organised by the FIA alongside the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix.

The RWC 2025 environmental sustainability programme is structured around three pillars: nurturing strong governance, addressing direct impacts, and promoting knowledge-sharing across the sport. These efforts are guided by measurable targets, including a reduction in carbon emissions from forecast baselines, an objective of 70% of procured goods with defined end-use pathway, and the undertaking of venue sustainability assessments in each of the eight host locations.

World Rugby has also awarded venue-specific grants to fund long-term initiatives that aim to reduce environmental impact:

• Bristol & Salford: Installation of water refill stations to reduce single-use plastic consumption
• Brighton: Biodiversity enhancement through tree planting schemes, bird boxes and local engagement
• Exeter & Sunderland: LED lighting upgrades to reduce energy consumption and emissions
• Northampton: Installation of electric vehicle charging points to encourage low-carbon transport
• York: Smart control systems for lighting, heating and concessions to manage energy use
• Twickenham: Use of electric heaters to reduce reliance on gas boilers

Additionally, in Exeter, the tournament has funded a case study applying Clean Air Go technology, which breaks down harmful air pollutants, to over 2,600 sqm of branding and printed material.

Following World Rugby’s wider Environmental Sustainability Plans 2030 and as a signatory to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework, the sustainability principles have also been embedded in over 15 of the tournaments’ key functional areas including fleet, catering, logistics, broadcast, workforce and venue overlay – ensuring a holistic approach that prioritises emission reduction, local procurement, and circular resource use.

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director, Sarah Massey said: “We have been preparing Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 over the last three years with a key objective in mind: organising an event that is responsible and drives positive change.

“Through close collaboration with our host venues and stakeholders, a robust governance and targeted funding, we are supporting practical, locally driven initiatives that will have a lasting impact for local communities and will create a benchmark for future Rugby World Cups.”

A comprehensive carbon footprint report will be published post-tournament to assess the effectiveness of measures implemented in the planning phase to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to the tournament delivery. The report, accessible to all, will serve as a baseline for future tournaments including Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia.

As the FIA World Endurance Championship had its fifth stop of the eight-event season at Brazil’s renowned Interlagos circuit, attention briefly shifted from the on-track action to the future of sustainable motor sport, with the FIA’s Marek Nawarecki featuring among several high-profile speakers taking part in a hydrogen-focused press conference

Held on the Saturday of the 6 Hours of São Paulo race weekend, the event brought together leading voices from the endurance racing ecosystem, with the panel of speakers including Pierre Fillon (ACO President), Kazuki Nakajima (Vice-President of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe), Bruno Famin (Alpine Vice-President of Motorsport), and Philippe Tramond (Michelin Motorsport Technical Director).

Fillon reflected on the journey that began in 2018 with the MissionH24 project: “Decarbonising racing isn’t just a vision, it’s a duty. It’s the DNA of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the WEC. First, we reduced fuel consumption by almost 50% with hybrids, and the work we do today with hydrogen will shape motor sport and mobility for future generations,” he acknowledged.

“Earlier this year, the FIA approved its first-ever safety regulations for vehicles powered by liquid hydrogen during its FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Macau, marking a major milestone,” said Nawarecki, Senior Circuit Sport Director at the FIA. “This is a pivotal stage in our journey. These regulations, added to the International Sporting Code, will underpin the future of hydrogen in the FIA WEC.”

The regulations in question were developed with input from industry experts across sectors such as aerospace, energy, hydrogen infrastructure, automotive hydrogen storage, refuelling technologies, system integration, risk assessment, and safety engineering, as well as automotive manufacturers and the ACO, setting strict standards for areas such as vehicle integration, storage systems, and refuelling procedures.

The conference also showcased significant progress made by manufacturers. Alpine’s Alpenglow Hy6 and Toyota’s GR Corolla H2 have already taken to the track – the former completing demonstration laps at Circuit de la Sarthe and Spa-Francorchamps on the occasion of WEC events (recording a speed of 313 km/h on Le Mans’ Mulsanne Straight), and the latter successfully finishing the 24 Hours of Fuji earlier this year. Both Alpine and Toyota have opted for hydrogen-powered combustion engines over fuel cells, citing the driving experience and technical relevance.

“[The car] participated in the 24 Hours of Fuji, in the hands of Akio Toyoda, among others,” said Nakajima. “It did not experience any major problems during the event. We were able to improve the refuelling system. These are crucial points for deploying hydrogen, a technology that already exists and is promising for both competition and mobility.”

Bruno Famin spoke about hydrogen’s potential: “Hydrogen is an interesting solution; it complements all-electric,” said the Alpine Vice-President of Motorsport.

“In the Alpenglow, hydrogen powers a combustion engine, which requires a specific combustion process and a dedicated storage and filling system. The advantage of the combustion engine? It remains a combustion engine with all its sensations, noise, and vibration,” he concluded.

Michelin’s Tramond shed some light on the tyre development, highlighting that the manufacturer’s product is designed to withstand the unique load characteristics of typically heavier hydrogen-powered vehicles without compromising performance, while also being composed of over 70% recycled or renewable materials, with the Frenchman describing it as representing “properties worthy of a racing tyre, respectful of the planet.”

Starting in 2028, hydrogen-powered prototypes are set to join combustion-engine race cars on the FIA WEC grid.

Alongside the conference, fans at Interlagos engaged with interactive hydrogen displays, reinforcing growing public interest in the future of sustainable racing. It was not the first time hydrogen featured prominently during a WEC round this season. At Spa-Francorchamps in May, the FIA supported dedicated hydrogen-themed fan activities organised by the ACO to promote its MissionH24 project, and just weeks later, the Hydrogen Village at the 24 Hours of Le Mans offered visitors a closer look at the technology that is set to propel endurance racing in the future.