The Indonesian Federation had announced that the U-20 World Cup draw, which was scheduled for March 31; however, the draw was postponed due to political reasons.
The governor of the island of Bali, Wayan Koster, has asked the Indonesian government to veto Israel’s participation in the Cup, considering that the country’s policies towards Palestine are inconsistent with the policies of the Republic of Indonesia.
The Federation of Indonesia (PSSI) has expressed its concern about the possible cancellation of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the event that the Governor’s refusal entails a cancellation of the performance guarantee issued by the Bali Provincial Government. In addition, they have pointed out that FIFA sanctions can isolate Indonesian football from the world.
Soccer fans in Indonesia have expressed their concern on social media at the possibility of the FIFA U-20 World Cup being canceled in 2023.
For its part, the PSSI has indicated that this could lead to Indonesia being frozen by FIFA, criticized by other countries for not complying with the organization’s mandate, and unable to participate in activities related to the FIFA calendar. In addition, it would lose the opportunity to host sporting events and be considered as a candidate to host the 2034 World Cup, among other negative effects.
So far, FIFA has not ruled on the matter.