LionsXII were set a target of finishing in the top top five for the 2013 Malaysia Super League when a press conference was held before the start of the season. The five overage players included key members from the previous campaign such as Shahril Ishak, Isa Halim, and Baihakki Khaizan, but other key players such as Shahdan Sulaiman and Shaiful Esah no longer featured. The main aim was to develop the U-23 players and prepare them for the upcoming 2013 Southeast Asian Games that would be held at the end of the year, with the five seniors players serving to guide them throughout the campaign. As at the start of the campaign, 13 players were also undergoing National Service.