Erick Thohir Urges Local Giants to Defend National Football Pride
The highly anticipated preseason tournament will take place across two major football hubs, Bandung and Surabaya, showcasing an expanded, highly competitive format. Five Indonesian powerhouses—Persib Bandung, Persija Jakarta, Persebaya Surabaya, Arema FC, and PSMS Medan—will face off against regional invitees Port FC of Thailand, DPMM FC of Brunei, and Singapore's Tampines Rovers.
The eight competing teams are split into two groups for the initial stage. Group A fixtures will run at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, featuring Persib, Arema, DPMM, and Tampines Rovers, while Group B will battle at Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya, housing Persebaya, Persija, PSMS, and Port FC.
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PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir emphasized the importance of local clubs proving their dominance against top-tier regional opposition. "Can our legendary clubs defend their pride by winning the Piala Presiden against Thailand"s Port FC? Thailand has always been a tough opponent for our national team,' Erick stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.
The tournament arrives during significant milestones for the local participants, as Persebaya approaches its centenary and Persib celebrates three consecutive league titles. Meanwhile, Persija targets victory ahead of Jakarta's 500th anniversary, Arema looks to build on its tournament legacy, and historic side PSMS Medan aims to use the platform to fuel their push back into Liga 1.