Indonesia is gearing up to host multiple prestigious international sports championships next year, including the World Surf League, World Abilitysport Games, and the debut of the UFC.
The presiding Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, attended an internal meeting at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday, the 9th of July, 2024. The meeting, chaired by President Joko Widodo himself, discussed the implementation of the 2025 international sports championships which are poised to take place in Indonesia.
In the meeting, Ariotedjo stated that Indonesia is ready to host several international championships in the following year, including the World Surf League from June until July 2025, the World Abilitysport Games in September 2025, the Gymnastics World Championship in October 2024, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in August 2025, and the World Rally Championship (the schedule for the latter is yet to be confirmed as of this article was written).
Moreover, Ariotedjo remarked that the existing, regularly held tournaments will also continue in the following year.
“For the world championships that are already routine, namely MotoGP in Mandalika, Aquabike, Power Boat in Toba, and MXGP, they will also be held next year,” said Ariotedjo.
Ariotedjo noted that there would be several regions across Indonesia that the government had determined to host these world championships. The 2025 World Surf League is planned to be held in seven locations across the country, including Bali and Lombok. The forthcoming World Rally Championship is poised to be held in North Sumatra. Additionally, the Gymnastics World Championship, planned for this October, is set to take place in Jakarta.
“It is also planned that in 2025, UFC will debut in Indonesia. As is known [so far], the UFC organisers have been visiting Indonesia since the end of 2023,” continued Ariotedjo.
Very recently, Indonesia has officially dispatched 29 athletes to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ariotedjo believed the large number of competing athletes would make the Red and White team notch a history in this Olympics edition.
“In addition, there are many fields of sports in which, for the first time, we are qualified [to compete]. So, God willing, this result will also make history. We ask for support from all Indonesian people,” urged Ariotedjo as well.