Toward the Football Matters Summit, UNU Jogja Brings Global Players and Innovations for the Advancement of Indonesian Football

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - Amid growing public enthusiasm for the development of Indonesian football, UNU Jogja is preparing the Football Matters Summit, the first football summit in Indonesia that brings together global leaders, practitioners, and innovators in the football industry. This forum represents UNU Yogyakarta’s commitment to positioning Indonesia as an epicenter of ideas and collaboration for the future of the sport.

Set to take place soon in Jakarta, the Football Matters Summit is held in collaboration with Spain’s La Liga and marks the first-ever international football forum of its kind in Indonesia.

The summit will explore the latest global developments in football, showcasing recent innovations from the world’s most popular sport. Club managers, regulators, sponsors, academics, and creative industry players will convene in this event.

A highlight of the summit will be the presence of renowned football players from Indonesia and abroad, who will be present to share ideas, spark innovation, and explore strategic collaborations at the Football Matters Summit. The moments will be captured by acclaimed photographer Jerry Aurum and presented as collectible NFT artworks for visitors.

According to Ian Agisti Dewi Rani, Vice-Rector for Partnerships, Business, and Creative Funding at UNU Jogja, the Football Matters Summit will serve as a space for cross-sector dialogue and collaboration to discuss the development of Indonesia’s football industry in a strategic context.

“The Football Matters Summit is part of UNU Jogja’s effort to strengthen the national football ecosystem by promoting innovation, professional management, and sustainable business opportunities in the sports sector,” said Ian.

To prepare for the program, UNU Jogja has coordinated with Almudena Gomez Benito, La Liga’s representative in Indonesia. “La Liga will provide full support and host a special session by Eduardo Lipari, La Liga Commercial Director for SEA, Japan, South Korea, and Australia,” Ian explained.

He added that two football-loving nations, Chile and Mexico, will also contribute to the event. “We’ve met with the Ambassador of Chile and the Deputy Ambassador of Mexico, both of whom have expressed their support for the Football Matters Summit,” he said.

The UNU Jogja team has also held meetings with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) and PT Liga Indonesia Baru (I.League), including Indonesia U-23 national team coach Indra Sjafri, to ensure institutional support and synergy for the development of national football.

UNU Jogja Rector, Widya Priyahita Pudjibudojo, emphasized that the Football Matters Summit is part of the broader initiative under the Center for Football Industry Innovation (CFII) — an innovation hub established by UNU Jogja to foster the growth of Indonesia’s football industry.

“The center offers training programs, consultancy services, research initiatives, and technology innovations to drive sustainable economic growth and professional excellence in sports, particularly football,” she explained.

CFII was established by UNU Jogja in collaboration with the Global Sportainment Network and officially kicked off in April 2025 through the ‘Ambassadors Football Friendly Match,’ which featured several foreign ambassadors.

“Indonesia has enormous football potential, yet no institution has seriously developed it. Through CFII, UNU Jogja aims to build a comprehensive football ecosystem that advances the sports industry and produces world-class professionals,” she concluded. [Arif]