FFI targets tiered futsal competition from junior high school to professional clubs

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Futsal Federation (FFI) aims to establish a tiered competition system from junior high school (SMP), senior high school (SMA), up to professional clubs as part of its development strategy for futsal in Indonesia.

“We want a tiered futsal competition starting from SMP and SMA, leading to players choosing their professional clubs,” said FFI Secretary-General Budi Setiawan during an interview in Jakarta on Friday.

Budi explained this is part of the FFI’s broader plan to develop futsal through competition system reforms.

Currently, the FFI runs two regular futsal competitions: the Pro Futsal League (PFL) and PFL 2 for clubs. However, there are no lower-tier competitions for school-level players.

Therefore, Budi added, aside from increasing the number of teams competing in the PFL, the federation also aims to introduce a tiered competition starting at junior high school level.

“From all competitions organised by various parties, which we will either select or create ourselves, we want a tiered system similar to baseball leagues in other countries,” he said.

In baseball, he explained, top players from lower-tier competitions are directly recruited by clubs during transfer windows.

The federation intends to implement such a system for Indonesian futsal in the coming years, allowing standout players from secondary school and university competitions to enter the PFL ecosystem.

“We also hope the number of PFL clubs exceeds 12, but not excessively, to maintain a healthy professional competition,” he added.

Regarding competition reforms, Indonesia’s national futsal coach Hector Souto stressed the importance of establishing a robust and sustainable competition system.

The Spanish tactician cited Spain as an example, where children start playing from ages four to six and participate in year-round competitions, not just sporadic tournaments with long gaps.

Souto acknowledged Indonesia’s vast futsal potential, especially with around 110 million people under 23. If more youths take up futsal, it could become one of the country’s most popular sports.

“This potential is immense. Why not develop it? We just need the right approach with government support. Federations, academies must also work to secure local sponsors, which will be crucial,” he said.