Under-17 World Cup is Indonesia's second chance

The world's most populous Muslim-majority country is set to host its first-ever major global football tournament, the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Indonesia, a country of some 280 million people, "is excited again with the football transformation," Indonesian football analyst Hardimen Koto told DW. 

But the reason why Indonesia was stripped of its first chance, a similar opportunity in the spring of this year, will not soon be forgotten. Protests and political remarks against hosting a team from Israel led FIFA to unceremoniously withdraw Indonesia's hosting rights of the more prestigious FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

The tournament was quickly given to Argentina, where Uruguay ran out winners and debutant Israel finished third.

Over six months later, Indonesia's chance to host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup emerged when Peru was deemed ill-prepared for the event.

Had Israel qualified though, "the U-17 might have stayed in Peru anyway," Koto said, "or FIFA would have looked for another host candidate."

Anti-Israel protests ring loudly 

It was Bali's governor, Wayan Koster, who had latched on to conservative anti-Israel sentiment in March and pushed back against hosting the Israeli team.

Tournament organizers had planned to hold Israel's group stage games in Bali, which is Hindu-majority. But Koster's letter to Indonesia's sports ministry requesting that Israel be banned from his province started turning the tide for FIFA against staging the tournament in Indonesia.

With the Indonesian government reeling from Koster's letter and the 2024 presidential elections on the horizon, conservative Muslim protesters took to the streets of the capital, Jakarta, chanting against Israel's participation while waving Palestinian flags.

President Joko Widodo told the nation: "Our support for Palestine has always been solid and strong," but he said the citizens of Indonesia should "not mix sports and politics."

FIFA pulled the plug on it at the end of March.

"FIFA is cognizant of the safety of the team and also audience members," Chong Ja Ian, a political scientist and foreign policy researcher at the National University of Singapore, told DW. "And they don't need to have unrest or a violent incident happen in a U-20 match."

Impact of 2022 stadium tragedy echoes

All parties were especially aware of fan security following the October 2022 Kanjuruhan stadium disaster in the city of Malang. At least 135 people died at a top-tier football match after — against FIFA security policy — police fired tear gas inside the stadium setting off panic and a chaotic scramble for the exits.

"FIFA was damning in its concerns toward Indonesia's football association for not dealing with security very well, and that cost them credibility," said Chong.

"The Kanjuruhan tragedy is the worst drama in the history of Indonesian football," said football analyst Hardimen Koto. "But Indonesian football should not be trapped around that. It must be changed. It must move forward."

In the wake of the tragedy, Indonesian officials were hoping the Under-20 World Cup would help repair some of the damage done to the nation's football reputation. Instead, it's the Under-17 tournament that the country hopes will have a lasting impact.

Indonesia's second chance starts now 

"Dozens of Ministries are involved with the organization. Indonesia wants to be successful as a host," said Hardimen.

Since the host country is also given one of the 24 places in the tournament, politicians, organizers and fans would love to see a strong showing by the home team. It is the first World Cup appearance for Indonesia at any level since 1938.

The side, which includes Frankfurt-born Hoffenheim youth player Amar Brkic, had to hurriedly prepare for world-class competition. They spent an intensive month training in Germany ahead of their opening game versus Ecuador and hope to benefit from the guidance of newly appointed technical director Frank Wormuth, Germany's former chief coaching instructor.

“We hope that the players can perform to their best," said head coach Bima Sakti. "And ask for support from football-loving fans and those watching on television."

Edited by: Jonathan Harding