TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto wants to reform the football competition system in the country. He instructed the Chairperson of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) as well as the Minister of Youth and Sports, Erick Thohir, to improve the national competition so that Indonesia can qualify for the World Cup.
State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi conveyed that Prabowo believes it is essential to nurture domestic competition to build a competitive national football team. "If we aspire to qualify for the World Cup, we must prepare ourselves in a much more mature manner," said Prasetyo in a written statement on Friday, June 19, 2026.
Prasetyo stated that Prabowo wants the national team to focus on long-term preparation for future competitions, including the FIFA series and qualifying for the 2030 World Cup.
According to Prasetyo, Prabowo believes that developing local competition is crucial to strengthening the national team. "Certainly improving our competition climate to produce a great national team that is tough, spirited, and capable of realizing all the dreams of the Indonesian people, which is the national team qualifying for the World Cup," he said.
Prasetyo also discussed the current World Cup 2026. "Initially, we really hoped that our national team could qualify this year, but it hasn't happened yet," said the Gerindra Party politician.
Prasetyo stated that Indonesians are currently enjoying the excitement of the World Cup by participating in communal viewing events held throughout the country. He believes these activities can positively impact the local economy.
He also asked the public to support and pray for the Indonesian national team so that someday it can compete on the world's highest football stage.
Meanwhile, Erick Thohir expressed his desire to ensure that grassroots football tournaments can thrive. He believes this aspect is crucial to the development of national talent.
Currently, Erick admits that the naturalization of foreign players of Indonesian descent is still one of PSSI's strategies in building the national team. According to him, naturalized players also make many sacrifices to join the Indonesian National Team.
However, he mentioned that this policy must be balanced with improving the quality of competition and local resources. Erick believes that young Indonesian talent is very promising. "These are the things we will balance in the future," he said.
Read: Why Did Prabowo Summon John Herdman, Erick Thohir to Hambalang?
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