2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup was a perfect opportunity to help grow soccer in Indonesia
The 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup has presented a perfect opportunity for the growth of soccer in the Southeast Asian country of Indonesia.
When the country was announced as the host of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Erick Thohir, President of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), saw it as the perfect opportunity to help grow the sport in Indonesia.
The event is the first FIFA tournament held in Indonesia and the first time that the FIFA U-17 World Cup is being held in Southeast Asia.
Despite having the fourth largest population in the world and football being the number one sport, Indonesia appeared in the third FIFA World Cup in 1938 as the Dutch East Indies, it took another 41 years for Indonesia to qualify for a second time when they made it to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1979.
While Indonesia was well equipped with good facilities – including the four impressive stadiums – there was still a short turn-around to prepare for the tournament, after Peru withdrew from hosting.
Mr Thohir, who spent six years as chairman of Inter Milan and was co-owner of DC United, worked with FIFA to ensure a successful tournament,
With quality facilities and a greater experience in sports management as a consequence of hosting this event, the nation now has a springboard from which to aspire to bigger and better things.
