Persib incident prompts Persebaya to close the North Stand at Gelora Bung Tomo

Persebaya Surabaya’s management has officially closed the North Stand of Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium until the end of the 2025-2026 Indonesia Super League season, following an incident in which fireworks were lit and hate speech was prevalent during the match against Persib. The decision was announced by the club’s management via its official Instagram account on Thursday evening, 5 March 2026. In the statement, Persebaya’s management explained that the policy was taken after discussions with the police and several stakeholders. The move was prompted by the proliferation of hate speech and fireworks being lit in the North Stand during the match between Persebaya and Persib in Week 24 of the Super League, on Monday, 2 March 2026. Persebaya coach Bernardo Tavares said the match against Persib, which ended 2-2, was open, with chances for both sides.