DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Sports

Erick Thohir Praises FIFA Support for Strengthening Indonesia’s Football Foundations

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • FIFA has supported Indonesian football through infrastructure projects, youth development and women’s football programs in cooperation with the Indonesian Football Association, or PSSI.
  • The FIFA Forward program provided $5.4 million for the construction of PSSI’s National Training Center in Nusantara, alongside Indonesian government investment.
  • PSSI President Erick Thohir said the partnership has strengthened the national football ecosystem and helped expand access to the sport.

FIFA’s support for Indonesian football has reached a concrete milestone at the PSSI National Training Center in Nusantara, a facility built to serve the country’s national teams and develop young players.

The 34.52-hectare complex received $5.4 million in funding through FIFA’s Forward program, equivalent to 95 billion rupiah at current exchange rates, along with investment from the Indonesian government. Once construction is complete, the center is expected to include eight pitches, a small stadium and a swimming pool.

PSSI President Erick Thohir said FIFA’s assistance has affected more than infrastructure. The partnership has also supported youth development, women’s football, grassroots programs and PSSI’s operational capacity and governance. “FIFA programs have made a meaningful contribution to strengthening our football ecosystem,” Erick said, according to FIFA’s official website.

The national training center is intended to provide a dedicated base for national-team activities, player development and technical programs. Its construction also helped PSSI receive the FIFA Forward Gold Award at the FIFA Football Executive Summit in Miami in June 2025.

Erick described the increasingly close cooperation with FIFA as an important foundation for Indonesia’s ambitions in international football. The federation says the programs are expanding access to the sport while creating a longer-term structure for its development.

FIFA programs have made a meaningful contribution to strengthening our football ecosystem.

· Erick ThohirThe PSSI president described the effect of FIFA-backed programs on Indonesian football.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.