MLSC Samarinda Women's Football Debut Successfully Nets 25 Names to Attend Extra Training

MilkLife Soccer Challenge Samarinda Series II 2025 - 2026 at the Borneo FC Training Centre on 24-26 April 2026. (MilkLife Soccer Challenge)

JAKARTA - A total of 25 names were successfully netted from the implementation of the MilkLife Soccer Challenge (MLSC) Samarinda Series II 2025-2026 to participate in extra training. Samarinda is a new city in the list of the implementation of the early girls' football competition. The Samarinda Series II, which was held by Bayan Peduli, took place on 23-26 April 2026 at the Borneo FC Training Center. As a result, 25 names managed to get the attention of the coaching team to be further trained in the extra training program. Jacksen Ferreira Tiago as the Head Coach of the MilkLife Soccer Challenge said that the names he had bagged would undergo extra training in the near future before being narrowed down to 16 players approximately two weeks before competing in the MLSC All-Stars.

"In other areas, extra training may be enough once a week, but in Samarinda, you have to be at least three times because we really start from scratch. For sure, for now we are still behind other cities, but we have to catch up as much as possible and work harder," said Jacksen.

He further said that the presence of the MilkLife Soccer Challenge brought a new glimmer of hope for the development and coaching of early-age girls' football in Samarinda because there has been no competition and football school (SBB) dedicated to girls.

"At Borneo FC Academy, there has never been a special class for girls because our focus is still on boys, but after I was involved in the MLSC project, I talked to the owner and manager, and we will open a class for girls," he said.

The II Samarinda series of the tournament initiated by the Bakti Olahraga Djarum Foundation and MilkLife was attended by 642 students. They are included in 62 teams, consisting of 30 age group (KU) teams of 10 years and 32 KU teams of 12 years.

Program Director MilkLife Soccer Challenge Teddy Tjahjono said that the high enthusiasm of the students and schools in Samarinda and its surroundings was a strong indicator that the female football ecosystem in this region was ready to grow.

"We see a very high spirit of competition, courage, and willingness to learn. This is an important capital for the long-term development of women's football in East Kalimantan," said Teddy.

The presence of Samarinda as a new city in Series II is a strategic step to expand the scope of coaching outside of Java Island. Furthermore, the best talents from Samarinda will be prepared to participate in the MilkLife Soccer Challenge All-Stars on 24-28 June 2026 in Kudus, Central Java.

Merlin as the Director of PT Bayan Resources Tbk. assessed that this tournament presents a new color and an important momentum in the development of early-age girls' football in Samarinda.

"We are proud to see the students compete with enthusiasm, sweating to compete for the title of champion. This is not only about competition, but also about building the character, discipline, and courage of the younger generation," he said.

The title of champion from the 10-year-old age group of Series II Samarinda was won by SDN 008 Palaran after narrowly winning 1-0 over SDN 009 Samarinda Seberang in the final match. Meanwhile, the two teams that occupy the position as semi-finalists in this category are MI MA Arif NU 003 and SDN 007 Samarinda Ulu.

Meanwhile, in the 12-year-old category, SDN 002 Samarinda City emerged as the champion after defeating SDN 018 Samarinda Ulu with a score of 5-2. The two semifinalist teams in KU are SDN 019 Samarinda Utara and SDN 009 Sungai Kunjang.