MLSC 2026-27 Opens with Series in Tangerang and Semarang

The new MilkLife Soccer Challenge season has begun, with girls’ teams in Tangerang and Semarang providing the first winners of the 2026-27 campaign. SDN Pinang 3 and SDN Kunciran 8 claimed the titles in Tangerang, while SDN Kembangarum 2 Semarang and MI Pagersari-Patean finished atop the competition in Semarang.

The opening series ran from Sept. 1 to 6. Tangerang attracted 1,037 athletes from 57 elementary schools and Islamic elementary schools. The competition included 24 teams in the under-10 age group and 73 teams in the under-12 group, with matches held at Kera Sakti Stadium and Cisauk Mini Stadium in Banten.

Semarang drew another 1,091 athletes from 63 schools. There, 35 teams competed in the under-10 group and 67 in the under-12 group. Games took place at Diponegoro University Stadium and the Arhanud Jatingaleh field.

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When more girls get the chance to play and compete regularly, our chances of finding new talent for the future of Indonesian women’s football will also grow.

Organizers describe the continuing competition as part of their effort to develop Indonesia’s women’s football from the grassroots. This season, the programme added three cities: Jakarta Jaya in North Jakarta, Garut and Jayapura. The expansion is intended to reach more talent and encourage girls to take up football from an early age. The organisers’ long-term target remains helping Indonesia’s women’s national team qualify for the 2035 Women’s World Cup.

The series also brought four additional schools to Tangerang and nine to Semarang. Organizers said the larger fields created tougher competition and showed growing technical and mental development among the young players. Head coach Timo Scheunemann said sustained competition allows coaches to assess how players learn from one match and apply that experience in the next, including in decision-making, reading the game and handling pressure. Other competitions, including HYDROPLUS Soccer League, Caffino Srikandi Merdeka Cup and the JSSL 7’s Singapore tournament, provide further stages for that development.

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When they get the chance to play continuously against different challenges, we can see their development more clearly, from decision-making and reading the game to dealing with pressure.