Saturday, 13 June 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM – The Medan City Government has denied allegations that it failed to fulfill financial commitments related to the accommodation of participants in the ASEAN Boys Championship (AFF U-19) 2026. City officials emphasized that no agreement had ever been made regarding the payment of hotel or lodging expenses for participating teams.
Medan City Secretary Wiriya Alrahman stated that the local government's involvement in preparations for the international youth football tournament was limited to the provision and improvement of sports facilities.
"At no point did the Medan City Government commit to covering hotel expenses for AFF participants. Our responsibility was solely to renovate and prepare the playing fields and stadiums required for the tournament," Wiriya told reporters on Monday, June 1, 2026.
Focus on Sports Infrastructure Upgrades
According to Wiriya, during a coordination meeting in March 2026, the city administration was asked to prepare several sports venues for the tournament, including Teladan Stadium, Kebun Bunga Stadium, and Cadika Sports Park.
Following inspections conducted by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), several facilities were deemed not yet fully compliant with tournament standards, prompting additional improvement work.
Wiriya stressed that all discussions during the early stages of preparation focused exclusively on infrastructure readiness. The issue of accommodation funding for participating teams was never discussed, nor was any formal agreement reached.
He further revealed that the PSSI only submitted an official request for financial assistance on May 24, 2026. After reviewing the proposal, the city government concluded that there was no legal basis for allocating municipal funds to cover accommodation expenses.
"Suddenly, we received a letter requesting financial support. After reviewing the request, we found no legal provision that allows public funds to be used for that purpose. Moreover, no budget allocation is available for such expenditures," he said.
City Government Cites Sports Regulations
Wiriya explained that under Indonesia's existing legal framework, the responsibility for organizing international sporting events lies with the respective national sports federation. He cited Law No. 11 of 2022 on Sports and Government Regulation No. 17 of 2007 as the basis for the city's position.
"In this case, the PSSI serves as the organizer. The appointment of North Sumatra as host was also carried out under the authority and responsibility of the PSSI and the participating football associations," he said.
He added that funds allocated under the municipal contingency budget cannot legally be used to finance accommodation costs for ASEAN Boys Championship participants.
To further clarify the matter, the Medan City Government sent an official request for legal guidance to the Directorate General of Regional Financial Development at the Ministry of Home Affairs on May 26, 2026.
Accommodation Dispute Draws Public Attention
The controversy surrounding participant accommodations gained public attention after reports emerged of difficulties in settling hotel bills for several teams taking part in the tournament.
Muhammad Fauzi, a member of the organizing committee, expressed disappointment and accused the city administration of failing to honor commitments regarding participant accommodations.
"We are disappointed because the Medan City Government did not fulfill its commitments concerning accommodation for participating nations. It is unfortunate that young players traveling to compete are facing issues related to their hotels," Fauzi said.
However, the Medan City Government rejected the allegation and reiterated that no commitment to cover accommodation expenses had ever been made throughout the tournament preparation process. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Teguh Panjaitan | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
