JAKARTA: Indonesia will declare its interest to football’s world governing body FIFA in jointly holding the 2025 U-20 World Cup with Singapore, President Joko Widodo said on Monday (Dec 4).
“The declaration of interest has been signed by PSSI and (the) Football Association of Singapore (FAS),” he told reporters in Jakarta, referring to Indonesia’s football association.
“I believe Singapore and Indonesia can be good hosts.”
Separately on Monday, FAS said that a letter of intent to discuss and consider jointly hosting future editions of under-20 and under-17 World Cups with Indonesia from 2025 had been submitted to FIFA.
“This letter of intent is exploratory at this stage, and the bid, if any, will need to be further developed with FIFA (and) PSSI,” FAS said in a statement, adding that a consensus with agencies in Singapore would also have to be sought in the event of a bid.
In March, Indonesia was stripped of the right to host the 2023 U-20 World Cup as a result of opposition from some government officials to the participation of Israel.
“FIFA has decided, due to the current circumstances, to remove Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023,” FIFA said in a statement at the time.
FIFA’s decision also came just six months after 135 spectators were killed in a stampede at a domestic match in Indonesia, many crushed as they fled tear gas fired into the crowd by police, in what was one of the sport’s biggest stadium disasters.
The U-20 World Cup was eventually hosted by Argentina, with the tournament won by Uruguay.
Indonesia did, however, host the recently concluded U-17 World Cup, which was won by Germany.
The U-20 World Cup is a biennial event, while the U-17 World Cup will be an annual tournament from 2025.
– Reuters
