The mystery surrounding the venue for the highly anticipated Persija vs Persib match has finally been solved. The Indonesian ‘El Clasico’ is officially set to take place at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium on Sunday, May 10, at 15:30 WIB. This confirmation follows the official green light granted by the PSSI to Persija to utilize the iconic venue.
Prior to this announcement, the match location had been shrouded in uncertainty. Ferry Indrasjarief, Chairman of the Persija Match Organizing Committee (Panpel), previously expressed concerns that the match faced obstacles due to rumors of pending pitch renovations at the GBK. These renovations were allegedly planned to prepare the stadium for the Indonesian national team’s upcoming fixtures next month, despite Persija having already secured permits from the GBK management and local police authorities.
Addressing the confusion, PSSI Secretary General Yunus Nusi clarified the situation on Monday, May 4. “Given the significant timeframe between the Persija vs Persib match on May 10 and the national team’s schedule in June, PSSI sees no issue with the GBK pitch being used for Super League matches,” he told kumparan.
Yunus further emphasized that while the national team is scheduled to play during the FIFA Match Day in June 2026 at the GBK, PSSI had not received any formal notice from the GBK management regarding a planned overhaul of the playing surface. “From PSSI’s perspective, the current condition of the turf is excellent, as evidenced by its recent use by the national team,” he added.
The PSSI official dismissed the reports of a major pitch replacement as a misunderstanding. He pointed out the logistical impossibility of completing such a massive project within a limited window at a stadium with a capacity of 78,000 spectators.
“When I heard about the pitch repairs from the media and Persija, I was quite surprised. Given how soon the stadium needs to be ready for the national team in June, it would be technically unfeasible to lift and replace the grass,” Yunus explained. He reiterated that the reports of immediate renovations were likely a product of miscommunication, firmly putting the rumors to rest and clearing the path for the biggest rivalry in Indonesian football to proceed at its traditional home ground.
Summary
The highly anticipated Persija vs. Persib match, dubbed the ‘El Clasico’, is officially confirmed to take place at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium on Sunday, May 10, at 15:30 WIB. This confirmation follows PSSI’s official approval for Persija to utilize the iconic venue. Previously, the match location was uncertain due to rumors of pending pitch renovations at GBK.
PSSI Secretary General Yunus Nusi clarified that PSSI saw no issue with using the GBK pitch, citing the significant time gap between the May 10 match and the national team’s June schedule. He also stated that PSSI had not received formal notice from GBK management regarding a planned pitch overhaul. Nusi dismissed reports of immediate major renovations as a misunderstanding, clearing the path for the match.