JAKARTA - Indonesia U-17 National Team Coach Nova Arianto admitted that he was surprised after knowing the location of the 2025 U-17 World Cup in Qatar will be held at the training ground, not at the main stadium.
"Honestly, at the beginning of my expectations, we played in stadiums like those commonly used by the U-23 national team and senior teams while in Qatar. But during the workshop, it was stated that the shape was like a festival," Nova said at an online press conference, Sunday, November 2.
Although surprised, Nova emphasized that he had no problem with the decision. According to him, this condition will not be an obstacle for his team because the players are used to practicing in similar facilities owned by Bali United in Gianyar, Bali.
The facilities at Bali United are quite similar to those at the Aspire Academy. So I'm sure the children can adapt well," he said.
Nova hopes that the difference in the location of the match will not be an excuse for the Garuda Muda squad to appear under performance.
"I hope that's not the reason we don't perform optimally. This is an extraordinary event for the U-17 national team players and is part of an important process for them going forward," said the former Persib Bandung defender.
The 2025 U-17 World Cup in Qatar does have its own uniqueness. Most of the matches will take place on Aspire Academy's training ground, Doha. However, the final match is scheduled to be held at Khalifa International Stadium with a capacity of 45,000 spectators.
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This concept is different from the 2023 edition in Indonesia, where all matches from the group stage to the final were held at major international standard stadiums.
However, the Aspire Academy is known to have world-class facilities and has become a training center for various international elite teams, so it is considered worthy of hosting the most prestigious youth tournament.
The U-17 Indonesian national team itself is in Group H with Brazil, Honduras, and Zambia.
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