Indonesia World Cup bid may be scrapped

By Duncan Mackay

December 29 – Indonesia may be forced to withdraw its bid to host the 2022 World Cup unless it can persuade the Government to back it, the chairman of the country’s Football Association has admitted.

Nurdin Halid, the chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), met with Agung Laksono, the country’s Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare, in the capital Jakarta tonight to talk about the campaign.

Nurdin said: ”We came here to get the Government’s backing and approval for our 2022 World Cup bid.

“We need official approval from the Government in order to continue our bidding process.

“Now it’s up to the Government. If they say yes, we’ll continue the process.

“If they say no, we’ll stop right here.”

Indonesia has already dropped plans to bid for the 2018 bid and instead concentrate on campaigning for 2022 along with the other Asian candidates, Qatar and South Korea.

Australia and Japan have submitted bids for 2022 and 2018, which is widely expected to be awarded to one of the European contenders, England, Russia or joint bidders Spain and Portugal and Belgium and Netherlands.

Nurdin said he expects the Government’s answer next month after FIFA asked the PSSI about its Government’s official guarantee.

Indonesia, which compromises of more than 17,000 islands, is the world’s fourth most populous country with a population of 230 million.

But hosting the World Cup would represent the biggest project in the country’s history.

The PSSI estimate that the bidding process will cost approximately Rp 240 billion (£16 million), while upgrades could cost up to Rp 10 trillion (£1 billion).

Candidates must provide 12 stadiums with at least 40,000 seats for group matches, with one 80,000-capacity stadium for the opening match and final.

Indonesia has the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (pictured) with 88,000 seats, which was originally built for the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, and the PSSI has proposed renovating three stadiums and building 10 new venues before 2015.

Indonesia’s slogan for its bid is ”Green World Cup 2022″, hoping to capitalise on the current green and global warming movement worldwide:

Halid said: ”Our deforestation rate has contributed much to world pollution.

“By hosting the World Cup, we wish to build infrastructure and facilities that are environmentally friendly so we can give more to the planet.”

Agung refused to be drawn on whether the Government would support the bid.

He said: ”I can’t answer right now whether we’ll back the bid or not because lots of things are involved in this.”

But Indonesia’s lack of success at international level could count it.

The team, under the name Dutch East Indies, was the first Asian team to participate in the World Cup when they qualified to the 1938 tournament.

But a 6-0 first-round loss in Reims to eventual finalists Hungary remains the country’s only appearance in the World Cup.

The side have also never managed to get beyond the first round of the Asian Cup.

Indonesia was quickly knocked out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

It advanced through the Asian first round when opponent Guam withdrew, then lost 11-1 to Syria in a two-legged series in November 2007 and are currently ranked 138th in the world according to FIFA.

Agung said: ”We appreciate the PSSI’s intention to stage the World Cup, but the Government also thinks that national team achievements are important.

“In the meeting, the PSSI couldn’t answer our questions about the national team’s achievements.

“We don’t want to just host the World Cup.

“We also want a national team that could do well in that World Cup.”

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