Jalan Besar Stadium was built in 1932 and is considered as the birthplace of Singapore football. It was here that the Malaya Cup (1932-1966) and later, the Malaysia Cup (1967-1973), was held for 41 years before moving over to the National Stadium. This was also the site for international soccer games and many important events.
During the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945) the stadium was one of the Sook Ching mass screening sites. Despite the war, the stadium remained open. At the same time, it was used as a language centre to teach Japanese. After the war, the stadium continued to be an important part of the community and played host to several major events in Singapore's history: the venue for the first Singapore Youth Festival in 1955, the first Singapore Armed Forces Day in 1969 and the 1984 National Day Parade (NDP).
Jalan Besar Stadium was closed in December 1999 for rebuilding. Interestingly, the original pitch/field was retained, serving as a reminder of its rich past. The stadium was officially re-opened in June 2003 and offers a seating capacity of 6,000.