Saturday, 24 October 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Sumardji, chairman of the Indonesian Football Association's (PSSI) National Team Committee (BTN), has praised North Sumatra Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution for his commitment to developing youth football. He described Bobby as the only governor in Indonesia who has shown a particular willingness to support football competitions across different age groups.
Sumardji made the remarks on Monday, 12 October 2026, during the ordinary electoral congress to elect the chairman of the North Sumatra PSSI Regional Association. The event took place at the Raja Inal Siregar Hall, within the North Sumatra Governor's Office at Jalan Diponegoro No. 30 in Medan.
According to Sumardji, the North Sumatra Provincial Government's willingness to host several international football competitions for young players demonstrates tangible regional government support for grassroots sports development. The commitment also gives North Sumatra an opportunity to strengthen its position as an important centre for the development of Indonesian football.
North Sumatra hosted the Piala Kemerdekaan in 2025, a preparatory tournament ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The province was subsequently selected to host the AFF U-19 Championship.
Both tournaments represented important steps towards giving young players more opportunities to gain competitive experience. They also allowed local communities to experience international standards in the organisation and delivery of football competitions.
Sumardji said the PSSI had approached several governors across Indonesia with proposals to host football competitions for young players. However, according to him, Bobby Nasution was the only regional leader to respond positively and pledge support for organising such events.
"Mr. Bobby is the only governor who cares about youth football. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to him. I have personally asked other governors to host youth competitions, but none of them was willing to do so. The Governor of North Sumatra has demonstrated a genuine commitment," Sumardji said.
He described the successful staging of the 2025 Piala Kemerdekaan and the AFF U-19 Championship as evidence that cooperation between regional governments and the PSSI plays an important role in building a stronger football ecosystem.
Beyond giving young players opportunities to develop their abilities, such competitions also provide a platform for improving referees' qualifications, professionalising event organisers, strengthening sports facility management and developing other essential aspects of football operations.
Sumardji hopes the North Sumatra Provincial Government and the PSSI will deepen their cooperation. He said the benefits of football development should extend beyond players and reach the wider community.
"This is a first concrete step towards taking football in North Sumatra towards a better future. It is not just about the players, but also referees, organisers, sports facilities and other related areas," Sumardji said.
His remarks underline the need for comprehensive support in developing football. Nurturing young talent must go hand in hand with improving professional skills, organising competitions to a high standard and providing adequate sporting facilities.
Meanwhile, Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution said football development could stimulate economic activity while helping improve human resources. The North Sumatra Provincial Government is therefore working to make sports administration more professional, productive and financially self-sufficient.
One proposed measure is to allow the North Sumatra Provincial Youth and Sports Office to manage its assets independently under the Regional Public Service Agency (Badan Layanan Umum Daerah, or BLUD) model.
Under this arrangement, the provincial government aims to ensure that sports facilities and other assets generate sustainable revenue. Sporting venues would serve not only as places for public activities and athlete development but also as potential sources of regional income.
Bobby said the provincial government wanted the Youth and Sports Office to become independent of the regional budget, known as the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Daerah, or APBD), from 2028. Instead, the office would independently manage assets estimated to be worth approximately 3.2 trillion rupiah.
"Football is the sport with the largest following. I believe we can turn sport into an economic sector through proper management. That is why our Youth and Sports Office should no longer depend on the regional budget from 2028. It should manage assets worth around 3.2 trillion rupiah independently under the BLUD model, generate revenue from them and contribute to the region's own-source revenue," Bobby Nasution said.
The plan reflects the provincial government's efforts to link sports development with regional economic growth. If implemented as intended, professional asset management could help finance sporting activities and increase the sports sector's contribution to the region's own-source revenue.
However, the success of this policy will depend on realistic business planning, transparent administrative structures and the sustainable maintenance of sports facilities. The provincial government must also ensure that commercial objectives remain compatible with the fundamental purposes of sport: developing athletes, increasing public participation and widening access to suitable sporting facilities.
Under this approach, football could continue to grow not only as a popular sport but also as part of the creative economy and a wider sports industry involving numerous stakeholders.
At the same event, Arya Sinulingga said relations between the North Sumatra Provincial Government and the PSSI had been good. He stressed that regional government support was an important factor in developing various innovations, activities and initiatives to promote football across the province.
Arya also highlighted the importance of closer cooperation between the PSSI leadership, the regional government, the Youth and Sports Office and all other stakeholders. These partnerships, he said, needed to be strengthened to ensure that football development was more focused and delivered tangible results.
"What we have achieved so far is also thanks to the Governor of North Sumatra and the head of the sports office at the technical level. We have received extraordinary support. In the future, we must work even harder to advance football in North Sumatra," Arya Sinulingga said.
The ordinary electoral congress of the North Sumatra PSSI Regional Association elected Arya Sinulingga as chairman for the 2026–2030 term by acclamation. His election is expected to mark the beginning of efforts to strengthen the association's organisational structure, improve the quality of competitions and expand support for players from younger age groups.
The new leadership will also face the challenge of turning government backing and public enthusiasm into long-term programmes. Key priorities include expanding youth competitions, improving the qualifications of coaches and referees, upgrading sports infrastructure and ensuring professional football administration.
For North Sumatra, international competitions can provide a valuable foundation for building experience and organisational expertise. However, their long-term impact will largely depend on whether all stakeholders continue to support youth development consistently after the tournaments have ended.
Cooperation between the North Sumatra Provincial Government and the PSSI is intended to create a more competitive, self-reliant and inclusive football ecosystem. With consistent political support and responsible management, youth football development could not only encourage sporting success but also strengthen human resources and contribute to regional economic growth. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
