July 26th, 2025 | Broadcast
Indonesia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) reports that the Indonesia Grassroot Championship Cup 2025 National Series opened in Solo with U-10, U-12 and U-14 teams from across the country, and an estimated Rp15 billion in economic turnover for the host city.
SOLO, 26 July 2025 – The national series of the Indonesia Grassroot Championship Cup 2025 kicked off on Saturday 26 July and ran through Sunday 27 July, according to the Deputy for Sports Industry Development (Deputi IV) at Kemenpora.
Matches were played at three venues in Surakarta, Central Java: Lapangan Kota Barat, Lapangan Banyuanyar and Lapangan Karangasem.
The tournament was opened by Ambar Basuki, a senior planner (Perencana Ahli Madya) in Kemenpora’s sports industry development division, together with the tournament committee head, Rinadian.
Around 2,500 people and Rp15 billion
The ministry says about 2,500 people took part, including players, coaches, masseurs, parents and support staff.
The organisers estimated the event’s economic turnover at around Rp15 billion, benefiting hotels, transport, food businesses and small local enterprises (UMKM) near the venues.
Gothia Cup, Singa Cup and other youth events cited
In the article, the ministry argues that grassroots events like this should be grown in Indonesia because they lift sports participation by involving children, parents, communities and sponsors.
It points to international youth tournaments that have become sport-tourism drivers: Sweden’s Gothia Cup, which it says draws guests from more than 100 countries each year; the Gothia China Cup, with more than 40 countries; and other youth football events such as Singa Cup, Trengganu Cup and events in Spain.
Kemenpora says Indonesia, with one of the world’s largest football fan bases, has big potential to host international youth events of its own. It notes a first step in Bali through the International Football Championship (IFC), which foreign academies are set to attend, while stressing that national events such as this one should keep growing to boost domestic sport tourism and small businesses.
Teams and pathway
Almost every Indonesian province took part, although Maluku and North Maluku were absent from this edition.
One team drawing attention was Akademi Persib Cimahi Bandung, recent Gothia Cup winners in Sweden, who drew 1-1 with SSB Puma Sukoharjo of Central Java in their first U-12 group match.
According to the ministry, winners are due to represent Indonesia at the Kuala Lumpur Cup; the previous year the organisers sent teams to the King’s Cup in Thailand.
The closing ceremony and trophy presentation were scheduled for Sunday 27 July 2025, with the Mayor of Solo, the regional police chief and Kemenpora representatives expected to attend.
Source: Kemenpora
