Indonesian Football Will Have a New Tournament Starting Next Season

Friday, 22 May 2026 | 08:00

Author: Arif S

Ilustrasi - Logo operator kompetisi sepak bola profesional Indonesia.
Source: I.League

Summary

1. PSSI and I.League have officially introduced the League Cup, a new additional Indonesian football competition scheduled to launch for the 2026/27 season.

2. The tournament is designed to increase total playing time for players and create broader competitive dynamics between clubs across the full season.

3. This League Cup will be the first knockout-format national football competition held in Indonesia since the last edition of the Indonesia Cup in the 2018/19 season.

I.League, in partnership with PSSI, has officially launched a new competition named League Cup that will commence from the 2026/27 season. This tournament will be held as an additional competition Running alongside the Super League.

The League Cup will be scheduled during breaks within the 2026/27 Super League Fixtures which runs from 4 September 2026 through 5 June 2027.

I.League Chief Executive Officer Ferry Paulus confirmed that preparations for this new competition have already begun as of the current time.

PSSI is evaluating the old format, the 2026 President's Cup could be more innovative.

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"We have started preparing the implementation of the League Cup as an additional competition that is expected to strengthen the national Football ecosystem," stated Ferry Paulus in an official announcement held in Jakarta.

According to Ferry, the launch of the League Cup is expected to help Indonesian Football progress further. Both clubs and players will have access to a greater number of competitive matches within one season.

Furthermore, this new competition is also considered crucial for increasing player match minutes. With more regular competitive appearances, players are expected to develop faster and accumulate greater professional experience.

The League Cup will also allow clubs to maximise use of their full squad depth, giving coaches the opportunity to grant playing time to more players throughout the season.

Despite the official announcement, I.League has not yet disclosed the tournament format, number of participating teams, or match regulations. All these details will be announced at a later date.

This League Cup will be the first national knockout football tournament held in Indonesia since the last edition of the Indonesia Cup was staged for the 2018/19 season several years prior.

A total of 128 clubs from all competition tiers took part in the 2018/19 Indonesia Cup. That edition was won by PSM Makassar, who defeated Persija Jakarta with an aggregate score of 2-1 in the final.

Indonesia previously hosted the Galatama Cup tournament, with its final edition held back in 1993. In that last tournament, Gelora Dewata won the title after beating Niac Mitra 1-0.

Quick Answer

New Indonesian League Cup Football Tournament Launching 2026/27 Season

PSSI and I.League have officially announced the League Cup, a new knockout football competition launching in Indonesia for the 2026/27 season. This will be the first official national knockout tournament held in the country since the Indonesia Cup was last staged in 2018/19.

League Cup will debut for the 2026/27 Indonesian football season
Tournament will run alongside Super League fixtures during calendar gaps
Designed to increase player match minutes and club squad utilisation
Full tournament format and official rules have not yet been published

PSSI and I.League have officially confirmed a new official football competition, the League Cup, will launch in Indonesia for the 2026/27 season. This tournament will run as an additional competition alongside the regular Super League calendar.

Tournament Scheduling

Organisers will schedule League Cup fixtures during gaps in the 2026/27 Super League match calendar, which runs from 4 September 2026 through 5 June 2027. Preparations for the competition have already commenced following the official announcement.

I.League Chief Executive Officer Ferry Paulus stated the League Cup is intended to strengthen Indonesia's national football ecosystem. The additional fixtures are expected to accelerate development across domestic clubs and players.

Expected Benefits For Domestic Football

This tournament will provide significantly more competitive match minutes for professional players. Regular game time is intended to support faster player development and build greater on-field experience.

Clubs will also be able to utilise their full squad depth over the season, allowing coaching staff to grant competitive playing opportunities to more registered players.

Background Of Indonesian Knockout Tournaments

The League Cup will be the first official national knockout football competition held in Indonesia since the final 2018/19 edition of the Indonesia Cup. That tournament included 128 clubs across all national tiers, with PSM Makassar winning the final against Persija Jakarta 2-1 on aggregate.

Prior to the Indonesia Cup, Indonesia also operated the Galatama Cup, which held its final edition in 1993.

As of the official announcement, full technical details including tournament format, number of participating teams, and match regulations have not been released. Organisers will publish full competition specifications at a later date.