PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB), the operator of Liga 1, has made a surprising decision by abolishing the Championship Series format for the 2024/2025 season and returning to a full competition format. This decision was announced by Ferry Paulus on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at Menara Danareksa, Central Jakarta.
In the 2023/2024 season, PT LIB implemented a new format where the top four clubs in the Regular Series advanced to the Championship Series to compete for the championship title. However, this format lasted only one season. Ferry Paulus explained that the primary reason for reverting to the full competition format was to synchronize the schedule with the Indonesian national team’s agenda.
“There will no longer be a Championship Series, just a full competition. It’s not that the Championship Series is bad; there are just many slots needed for the Indonesian national team,” he said. He added that the competition must stop four days before the FIFA Matchday period, unlike in many other countries where the competition stops during the FIFA Matchday. This allows the Indonesian national team to have the necessary training camps.
Ferry Paulus also stated that PT LIB has planned the Liga 1 schedule up to 2027 to ensure there will be no more interruptions in the competition. “There will no longer be a Championship Series. We have set all the dates, including breaks during the SEA Games. Using the Championship Series format would cause the competition schedule to be pushed back significantly,” he explained. He added that while the Championship Series had great appeal as a product, the competition time needed was insufficient, forcing them to return to the full competition format.
The PSSI and PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB) have also decided to push back the kick-off of Liga 1 2024/2025 to August 9, 2024. The opening match will feature Persib Bandung, the reigning Liga 1 champions, against PSBS Biak, the Liga 2 champions from the previous season. “The Liga 1 2024/2025 kick-off will be held in Bandung between Persib and PSBS on August 9, 2024,” said Ferry Paulus.
With a schedule synchronized with the Indonesian national team’s agenda, PT LIB aims to improve the quality of competition in Indonesia. “The future schedule of Liga Indonesia will be synergized and synchronized with the Indonesian national team’s agenda, including the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and several FIFA Matchday events involving the Indonesian national team,” he stated.
The decision to return to the full competition format demonstrates PT LIB’s commitment to enhancing the quality of Indonesian football and supporting the development of the Indonesian national team on the international stage.
