Gibran Fully Supports The U-17 World Cup Semifinals In Solo, This Is An Instruction To His Subordinates

Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka said the Surakarta City Government would fully support the implementation of the semifinals and finals of the 2023 U-17 World Cup at Manahan Stadium Solo, Central Java, next November.

"We fully support that Solo will be the host like the previous U-20 World Cup," Gibran said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, July 24.

Alluding to the FIFA plan to review the Solo Manahan Stadium as the venue for the U-17 World Cup, Gibran confirmed this. However, for the certainty of the schedule, we are still waiting for directions from PSSI General Chair Erick Thohir.

He explained that in preparation for the U-17 World Cup, the Solo Manahan Stadium starting in August will no longer be used for concert venues. The Solo Manahan Stadium next month is only for football. The music event at the last Solo Manahan Stadium is Dewa 19 on 29 July. However, Persis Solo may use it before there is a direction from PSSI.

According to Gibran, the peak ceremonial event commemorating the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between Indonesia and South Korea was also not held at Manahan Stadium. Because, in September, the Manahan Solo Stadium was used for the U-23 Asian Cup qualifying round.

Gibran explained that FIFA had come to Solo to check the arena for the U-20 World Cup and later if there was a shortage it would be corrected.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Surakarta City Youth and Sports Agency (Dispora), Rini Kusumandari, said that preparations for the Solo Manahan Stadium match for the U-17 World Cup had been carried out since the last U-20 World Cup plan. So it is still continuing and the facilities procurement stage is still being carried out.

He said about the stadium facilities, his party was still waiting for the results of another inspection from FIFA. Previously, recommendations for the U-20 World Cup had been made.

"For the U-17 World Cup, we don't know yet, waiting for inspections whether there are additions or not," he said.

Rini explained that the maintenance of the Solo Manahan Stadium has involved around 22 cleaning workers including grass maintenance personnel. "We are still being maintained by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, so we are still using consultant providers from the Ministry of PUPR Program Plan Policy (KRP)," he said.

"Later on in 2024, all treatment will be carried out at the Surakarta City Dispora, and consultants will be sought for a grass provider," he said.

According to him, the Dispora workforce has also been taught how to care for grass, because there are six personnel who have been sent to attend grass treatment training. All grass maintenance personnel coordinators participated in training in Jakarta.