"This achievement is our pride. It also brings a positive impact on Indonesia's name at the global level," he noted at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Jakarta, Monday, as accessed from the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube broadcast.
The head of state remarked that the U-17 World Cup, which ended on Sunday (December 2, 2023), was held successfully.
The tournament, which involved 24 teams divided into six groups and won by Germany, drew appreciation from the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as one of the best events in the world, the president remarked.
"Thank God, on December 2, 2023, the U-17 World Cup has come to an end. It was successful and received appreciation from FIFA as one of the best events," he noted.
According to Widodo, the U-17 World Cup boosts economic and tourism growth in the country. Hence, he called on the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to explore the opportunity to hold the U-20 World Cup in 2025 and U-17 for 2025-2029.
The president believes that Indonesia and Singapore can be good hosts. He expressed hope that Indonesia and Singapore would hold the two tournaments.
"We are bidding together with Singapore. I am sure the two countries will be able to host the two tournaments," he remarked.
In order to achieve these goals, Widodo highlighted that the government was in the process of completing renovation projects for 22 football stadiums in various regions.
Regarding the evaluation of performance of the Indonesian U-17 football team that lost in the preliminary round of Group A, the president stated that the entire process toward winning the title could not be achieved instantly.
"The more we participate in the international competition, the better it will be for our young footballers. This will develop our football climate in the future," he affirmed.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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