Violence at GBK May Affect Indonesia's U-20 World Cup Bid: PSSI

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) admitted violence during the 2022 World Cup's qualifier between Indonesia and Malaysia at Bung Karno Sports Stadium (GBK) in Jakarta on Thursday may affect Indonesia's bid to host U-20 World Cup 2021.

"The incident that we regret will undoubtedly have a more or less impact on our bid. Hopefully, the impact is not too large," Chief of PSSI Media Relations and Digital Promotion Gatot Widakdo said in Jakarta on Sunday.

To lessen the impact of the incident on Indonesia's bid to host the U-20 World Cup 2021, PSSI will explain the chronology of the incident to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), he said.

He said PSSI will accept what the world's soccer governing body will decide following the incident, including sanctions.

"We are waiting for what FIFA will decide. Once again, I hope the impact is not big," he said

The incident happened when Indonesia played against Malaysia in the qualifying round of Group G of World Cup 2022 for Asian zone.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has reported the incident to FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

A few Indonesian supporters threw bottles and smoke bombs during the second round of the first home-away match between Indonesia and Malaysia of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification. Following the incident, the game was stopped for 10 minutes.

Indonesia officially filed its bidding document to FIFA to host the U-20 World Cup 2021.

FIFA noted on its official website on Thursday that the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) officially submitted Indonesia’s bid to hold the event.

To host the event, Indonesia will go neck to neck with Brazil and Peru that had also submitted formal bids.

FIFA will conduct its review and assessment of the bids prior to taking a final decision on the host of the event at its meeting on October 23-24, 2019, in Shanghai, China.

ANTARA