Since the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup Indonesia 2023™, the first FIFA tournament held in the country, the partnership between world football’s governing body and the PSSI has deepened year on year, spanning new infrastructure, grassroots programmes and, more recently, a dedicated FIFA hub in the capital, Jakarta.

“In recent years, programmes such as FIFA Forward, Football for Schools and FIFA Arena have made a meaningful contribution to strengthening our football ecosystem, from infrastructure and grassroots development to providing greater access to football for children and communities,” said PSSI President Erick Thohir.

Chief among these projects is the PSSI's first National Training Centre, a 34.52-hectare site in Nusantara Capital City backed by USD 5.4m in funding from the FIFA Forward Programme and further Indonesian government investment. The facility, which earned PSSI a FIFA Forward Gold Award at the FIFA Executive Football Summit in Miami, Florida in June 2025, already hosts national team training and grassroots activity, with a mini-stadium, swimming pool and eight pitches planned once complete.

“Through FIFA Forward, we have strengthened our operational capacity and good governance, while the FIFA Forward Special Project has given Indonesia something we have never had before: our first National Training Centre,” Thohir said.

“This facility is now becoming an important home for our youth talent camps, technical programmes and grassroots activities, creating a long-term foundation for player development. But football development is not only about infrastructure. FIFA Football for Schools has helped us take football directly to children and communities, including remote areas, while the FIFA Talent Development Scheme has supported our technical development pathway continuously since 2022.”

Two FIFA Arena mini-pitches also opened near Jakarta schools in May 2025, serving around 1,450 pupils. Alongside this, FIFA Football for Schools has helped bring football directly to children and communities across Indonesia, with the programme being implemented across all 38 provinces of the country. By expanding access to football beyond major cities and into communities across the archipelago, the programme is helping create more opportunities for children to discover the game and take their first steps in football.

That June, FIFA and PSSI signed a Host Country Agreement establishing a FIFA hub in Jakarta covering 21 Member Associations (MAs) across Southeast and East Asia. The presence of FIFA in Jakarta has further strengthened Indonesia’s role within the regional football community, bringing FIFA’s expertise and resources closer to PSSI while also creating a platform for greater cooperation and knowledge-sharing among MAs across the region.

“We have also seen significant progress in women's football,” Thohir continued. “With FIFA Women's Football Development Programmes, PSSI was able to launch our Women's Football Strategy in 2024. We were then honoured to be selected as one of only three FIFA Member Associations for the FIFA-GIZ Women Empowerment in Sports Programme.

“The FIFA Coach Education Scholarship has further helped us expand the number of licensed female coaches and strengthen the foundations of women's football nationally. The presence of the FIFA Indonesia Office has also been an important part of this progress. Having FIFA closer to the Indonesian football community has made our partnership more dynamic, responsive and impactful,” he added.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has praised Indonesia's progress on several occasions, including during meetings with Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto, saying that “Indonesian football has enjoyed significant growth” under his leadership, and that of Thohir.

That progress can also be seen in the national team's development on the international stage. When Thohir took over as PSSI President in 2023, Indonesia were ranked 151st in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking. The team has since climbed to 118th, reflecting the significant progress made during this period.

While FIFA's support is part of a broader effort involving PSSI, the Indonesian government, clubs, players, coaches and other stakeholders, the progress highlights the growing strength of Indonesia's football ecosystem and the country's increasing ambition on the international stage.

“For PSSI, our partnership with FIFA is about more than infrastructure or individual programmes,” Thohir said. “It is about building a strong and sustainable foundation for the future of Indonesian football. We look forward to continuing this strong collaboration with FIFA and further accelerating the growth and development of our game.

“We are deeply grateful to FIFA for its partnership, its continued presence in Indonesia, and for believing in the potential of Indonesian football. On behalf of PSSI, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to FIFA for its continued support and commitment to the development of football in Indonesia.”