Hanif Sjahbandi Talks About the Challenges of Becoming APPI President

KOMPAS.com - Persija Jakarta midfielder Hanif Sjahbandi has taken on a new role as the year 2026 opens. The 28-year-old has been elected as the new president of the Indonesian Professional Players Association (APPI) for 2026-2029. Hanif now serves as APPI President, accompanied by Nadeo Argawinata as Vice-President, with their administration in place since January. He replaces his senior at Persija, Andritany Ardhiyasa, as APPI President. Hanif explained that his selection came from the trust of senior players.

“Indeed, the APPI election was offered by the previous ExCo. And when I was inaugurated as president, if asked to choose, I would prefer to focus on football and related matters,” Hanif said when approached by media at the APPI office in Jakarta, Thursday 5 March 2026.

“With my readiness, I will strive to do my utmost to carry out this task,” he added.

Becoming APPI President is a fairly heavy challenge for him, who is more accustomed to handling the ball on the field. Yet he is trying to adapt quickly, understanding that APPI’s role is crucial in safeguarding all professional footballers in Indonesia.

“When I first arrived here I was quite surprised by how things were done, the way it works, and so on. I tried to adapt because as players we also need to adapt quickly when transferring teams,” said the former Arema FC player.

“Yet when I have to read, make decisions, and so on, that is one of the things that makes it not easy for me; it requires more discussion, more thought, and the impacts of everything can be. So decision-making, planning, and so on are the challenges that lie ahead for me,” he said.

Hanif also outlined several components of APPI’s work programme under his leadership. However, his main focus remains on protecting players, including issues such as contract breaches and racism.