Kyoga Nakamura

Kyoga Nakamura
Nakamura with Tampines Rovers in 2024
Personal information
Full name Kyoga Nakamura
Date of birth (1996-04-25) 25 April 1996
Place of birth Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Lion City Sailors
Number 46
Youth career
2012–2014 JEF United Chiba
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2017 JEF United Chiba 0 (0)
2015 → YSCC Yokohama (loan) 14 (0)
2016 → FC Ryukyu (loan) 3 (0)
2017 → YSCC Yokohama (loan) 22 (1)
2018 YSCC Yokohama 4 (0)
2019 Albirex Niigata (S) 26 (7)
2020–2025 Tampines Rovers 118 (14)
2025–2026 Bangkok United 17 (1)
2026– Lion City Sailors 17 (0)
International career‡
2013 Japan U17 3 (0)
2013 Japan U18 1 (0)
2024– Singapore 25 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2 January 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 August 2026

Kyoga Nakamura (仲村 京雅, Nakamura Kyōga; born 25 April 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors. Born in Japan, he plays for the Singapore national team.

Club career

Early career

Nakamura was part of JEF United Chiba academy product where he got promoted to the senior squad in 2015.[1]

YSCC Yokohama (loan)

However, in July 2015, Nakamura was loaned out to YSCC Yokohama ahead of the 2015 J3 League season. He made his professional career debut in a 2–1 loss to FC Ryukyu on 2 August. Nakamura returned to JEF United Chiba on 31 January 2016 after his loan move contract expired.

FC Ryukyu (loan)

On 14 September 2016, Nakamura joined J3 League club FC Ryukyu on a loan deal until 31 January 2017. He made his debut for the club on 25 September against SC Sagamihara where he assisted Yuta Togashi to equalise the score at 1–1. FC Ryukyu went on to win 3–1 at the end.

Second stint at YSCC Yokohama

In February 2017, Nakamura rejoined YSCC Yokohama for his second stint on loan from JEF United Chiba. On 30 April, he scored his first professional career goal against Giravanz Kitakyushu in a 3–2 loss. At the end of the season, YSCC Yokohama decided to make the move permanent and signed Kyoga on a free transfer.

Albirex Niigata Singapore

In February 2019, Nakamura moved to Singapore to signed with Albirex Niigata (S) where he was also chosen as the club captain for the 2019 season.[2][3]

Nakamura scored seven and assisted eight times during the season, including a 35-metre lob in a 3–3 draw in July against Home United, earning him a nomination for the 'Goal of the Year' accolade. He also scored back-to-back braces against Home United and Geylang International on 27 April and 5 May respectively.[4]

Nakamura was nominated for the 'Young Player of the Year' award but lost it to Hami Syahin.[5] Albirex Niigata (S) finished 4th in the 2019 SPL.

Tampines Rovers

Nakamura was then snapped up by Singaporean club Tampines Rovers in January 2020.[6] He made his debut for the club during the 2020 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs in a 5–3 lost against Indonesian club Bali United which resulted in Tampines qualifying to the 2020 AFC Cup group stage instead. Nakamura went on to play in the tournament against Indonesian club, PSM Makassar, Philippines club Kaya-Iloilo and Myanmar club Shan United before the tournament was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On 22 February, Nakamura won his first silverware after helping Tampines win the 2020 Singapore Community Shield in a 3–0 win over Hougang United.

On 2 May 2021, Nakamura scored a brace against Young Lions in a 7–0 thrashing league win. Nakamura was also involved in the club all six fixtures during the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage matches against Japan's Gamba Osaka, Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Thailand's Chiangrai United. In January 2022, Nakamura was handed a new five-year deal by the Stags in an unprecedented move in Singaporean football, making it the longest contract extension in Singaporean league history. Kyoga had turned down offers from clubs in Japan, Indonesia and Thailand before reaffirming his commitment to the club.[7] On 18 March 2022, he recorded an hat-trick of assists as Tampines Rovers thrash Hougang United 7–1.

Bangkok United

On 29 June 2025, it was announced that Kyoga would be joining Thai League 1 club Bangkok United on a one-year contract leaving Tampines Rovers after 158 appearances in all competition in his five years stint with the club.[8] He make his debut for the club in the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying play-offs against Chinese club Chengdu Rongcheng on 12 August 2025. Kyoga then scored his first goal for the club in a league match against PT Prachuap on 22 November 2025 scoring a banger with his weak foot from outside the box which the match ended in a 4–1 win for Bangkok United. [9]

Lion City Sailors

On 8 January 2026, Kyoga returned to Singapore to sign with Lion City Sailors on a two and a half year contract, which runs until the end of the 2027–28 season after terminating his contract with Bangkok United.[10][11][12]

International career

In October 2013, Nakamura was selected for the Japan U17 national team for the 2013 U-17 World Cup in UAE.[13] He played three matches including the Round of 16 match against Sweden U17.[14]

On 2 September 2024, Nakamura was called up to the Singapore national team centralised training camp for a familiarisation stint prior to gaining Singapore citizenship.[15][16] On 6 November 2024, he received his first official call up as a Singapore citizen.[17] He made his debut for Singapore in their 3–2 international friendly victory against Myanmar on 15 November 2024, also earning a Man of the Match award for his performance.[18][19]

Nakamura scored his first international goal on 14 December 2024 against East Timor at the Hàng Đẫy Stadium during the 2024 ASEAN Championship.[20]

Personal life

Nakamura was born in Funabashi of Chiba Prefecture in Japan.[1] He moved to Singapore in 2019, becoming a permanent resident (PR) in 2024, and subsequently a Singaporean citizen later on 25 October 2024.[1] As both Japan and Singapore do not permit multiple citizenships in adulthood, Nakamura had relinquished his Japanese citizenship in the process.[1]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 May 2026
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals Apps GoalsAppsGoals
JEF United Chiba 2015 J2 League 00000000 0 000
2016 J2 League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2017 J2 League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 00000000 0 000
YSCC Yokohama (loan) 2015 J3 League 140000000 0 0140
FC Ryukyu (loan) 2016 J3 League 30000000 0 030
YSCC Yokohama (loan) 2017 J3 League 221100000 0 0231
YSCC Yokohama 2018 J3 League 40000000 0 040
Albirex Niigata (S) 2019 Singapore Premier League 237300000 1[c] 0277
Tampines Rovers 2020 Singapore Premier League 14000104[d]0 1[c] 0200
2021 Singapore Premier League 21300006[e]0 0 0273
2022 Singapore Premier League 28562002[f]0 0 0367
2023 Singapore Premier League 23370001[f]0 0 0313
2024–25 Singapore Premier League 32370006[g]0 0 0453
Total 1181420210190 1 015916
Bangkok United 2025–26 Thai League 1 9100005[h]0 3[i] 0171
Lion City Sailors 2025–26 Singapore Premier League 160100000 0 0170
2026–27 Singapore Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 160100000 0 0170
Career total 2092325210240 5 026425
  1. ↑ Includes Emperor's Cup, Singapore Cup, Thai FA Cup
  2. ↑ Includes J.League Cup, Thai League Cup
  3. 1 2 Appearance in Singapore Community Shield
  4. ↑ One appearance in AFC Champions League, three appearances in AFC Cup
  5. ↑ Appearances in AFC Champions League
  6. 1 2 Appearance(s) in AFC Cup
  7. ↑ Appearances in AFC Champions League Two
  8. ↑ One appearance in AFC Champions League Elite, four appearances in AFC Champions League Two
  9. ↑ Appearances in ASEAN Club Championship

International

As of match played 10 June 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Singapore 202472
2025 4 0
Total112

Japan U17 international caps

NoDateVenueOpponentResultCompetition
121 October 2013Sharjah Stadium, UAE Venezuela2–1 (won)2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup
224 October 2013Sharjah Stadium, UAE Tunisia2–1 (won)
328 October 2013Sharjah Stadium, UAE Sweden1–2 (lost)

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.14 December 2024Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam Timor-Leste
1–0
3–0
2024 ASEAN Championship
2.29 December 2024Việt Trì Stadium, Việt Trì, Vietnam Vietnam
1–2
1–3

Honours

Club

Tampines Rovers

Lion City Sailors

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "'Delighted I can truly call Singapore my home': Japan-born Kyoga Nakamura granted citizenship". CNA. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  2. ↑ "Kyoga NAKAMURA (Y.S.C.C.) joins White Swans for 2019 season | Albirex Niigata Singapore アルビレックス新潟シンガポール 公式サイト" (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  3. ↑ Abdul Aziz, Sazali (1 March 2019). "Football: Albirex Niigata still aim to win trophies despite squad overhaul". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  4. ↑ Descalsota, Marielle (18 December 2019). "Albirex unfazed despite losing skipper Kyoga Nakamura to Tampines". The New Paper. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  5. ↑ Abdul Aziz, Sazali (25 October 2019). "Varankou, Shahdan and Faris in FAS top player shortlist". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  6. ↑ VAVEL.com (22 December 2019). "SPL pre-season review: Tampines Rovers". VAVEL. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Ganesan, Deepanraj (18 January 2022). "Football: Tampines midfielder Nakamura signs new 5-year deal, eyes S'pore citizenship". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  8. ↑ Ganesan, Deepanraj (29 June 2025). "Singapore footballer Kyoga Nakamura leaves SPL for Thailand, seeking to improve himself". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  9. ↑ Thai League Official (22 November 2025). ไฮไลท์ ทรู แบงค็อก ยูไนเต็ด พบ พีที ประจวบ เอฟซี |บีวายดี ซีไลออน ซิกส์ ลีกหนึ่ง 2025/26 |22-11-2568. Retrieved 30 November 2025 – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Kyoga Nakamura joins Lion City Sailors, set for debut against ex-club BG Tampines Rovers". The Straits Times. 8 January 2026. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  11. ↑ "Sailors strengthen midfield with signing of Kyoga Nakamura". Lion City Sailors. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  12. ↑ "Back in Singapore: Kyoga excited to begin a new journey with the Sailors". Lion City Sailors. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  13. ↑ Abdul Aziz, Sazali (24 May 2019). "Midfield maestros in the spotlight". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  14. ↑ Abdul Aziz, Sazali (1 March 2019). "Football: Four Albirex Niigata players to watch in the 2019 Singapore Premier League". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  15. ↑ Tan, Gabriel (2 September 2024). "Cardiff's Perry Ng joins Singapore training for first time". ESPN. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  16. ↑ Mohan, Matthew (2 September 2024). "Cardiff City footballer Perry Ng in Singapore for 'familiarisation stint' with Lions". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  17. ↑ Ganesan, Deepanraj (6 November 2024). "Kyoga Nakamura named in Singapore football squad for friendlies; Fandi brothers are out". The Straits Times. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  18. ↑ "Singapore show mettle in spirited 3-2 comeback win over Myanmar - Football Association of Singapore". www.fas.org.sg. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  19. ↑ Tan, Gabriel (15 November 2024). "Kyoga Nakamura hungry for more after winning first cap for Singapore". ESPN. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  20. ↑ "Mitsubishi Electric Cup".
  21. ↑ "Instagram".
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