FIFA President Praises Indonesia as an Extraordinary Host

FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrived at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday, October 5, 2026, for a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto. Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir stated that the meeting was a rendezvous between the two friends, who have previously met on various international occasions.

"Yes, a meeting between the FIFA President and the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. President Prabowo. Of course, President Gianni has been to Indonesia almost four times, both during our FIFA U-17 campaign and now as FIFA ASEAN," said Erick.

Erick added that President Prabowo and Gianni Infantino had previously met in New York and Paris. This meeting was a continuation of the communication that had been established between the two.

Before meeting with President Prabowo, Gianni Infantino expressed his appreciation for the development of football in the ASEAN region and the holding of the FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia.

"So far, the tournament has been a huge success, involving the entire ASEAN region. Indonesia has been an outstanding host for the best ASEAN teams," said Infantino.

According to Infantino, enthusiasm for football in the ASEAN region is enormous. He believes the quality of matches continues to improve, as evidenced by the high number of spectators attending the stadiums and the competitive atmosphere of the matches.

"Football is truly alive in this region. There's a huge passion for the game, and we can see that the level of play is very good. The crowds come to the stadiums," he said.

Infantino also expressed his delight at being back in Indonesia and participating in organizing a FIFA event in the country. He called the FIFA ASEAN Cup a significant tournament and hoped it would be the first of many similar events in the future.

"I'm very happy to be back in Indonesia. I'm also very happy to be hosting another FIFA event in Indonesia. This isn't the first time, but it's very important," said Infantino.

"This is the first FIFA ASEAN Cup. Hopefully, it will be the first of many to come. And I'm also happy to meet the President again, who also loves football and his country," he concluded.

This meeting at the Palace continued the communication that had been established between President Prabowo and Infantino, amidst their attention to the development of football in Indonesia and the ASEAN region.