Big Surprise! Shin Tae-yong Officially Appointed as Persija Jakarta Head Coach on a 3-Year Contract.

Jakarta - A major surprise emerged from the nation's capital as Persija Jakarta officially announced a partnership with Shin Tae-yong (STY). The former head coach of the Garuda Squad has now taken up the new mandate as head coach of Macan Kemayoran for the 2026/2027 Super League season.

This veteran South Korean tactician has been signed on a 3-year long-term contract to fill the position left vacant by Mauricio Souza.

"We hope this decision will become the turning point for the future of Persija," stated Persija President Mohamad Prapanca during the official press conference at Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), North Jakarta, Monday 8 June 2026.

Triggered By Collapsed Title Challenge During Crucial Matchweeks

Prapanca disclosed that club management had already begun discreetly approaching STY when only 10 matchweeks remained of the ongoing season. At that point, Persija's title hunt suddenly collapsed following a run of poor results.

Macan Kemayoran went winless across three consecutive matches: held to draws by Borneo FC (2-2) and Dewa United (1-1), before suffering a damaging defeat against Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC (2-3).

This poor run of form forced Persija to end the season in 3rd place with 71 total points — 8 points behind eventual champions Persib Bandung and runners-up Borneo FC.

"Our previous coach Mauricio truly gave his absolute best. However, Persija management holds far higher ambitions for this club," Prapanca stated when explaining the coaching change.

Return Of The Nation's Adored Tactician

STY is an extremely familiar figure for Indonesian football supporters. The 55-year-old coach built a beloved legacy over five years (2020–2025) leading the Garuda Squad.

While he did not lift an official major trophy, Shin Tae-yong's guidance delivered multiple historic milestones for Indonesian football. He successfully qualified all three national team tiers (Senior, U-23, and U-20) to the AFC Asian Cup finals, guided the senior squad to the Round of 16 of the 2023 Asian Cup, and secured 4th place at the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

Additionally, he oversaw a massive improvement of Indonesia's FIFA world ranking, lifting the nation from its low position of 175th all the way up to 129th globally.

After leaving PSSI in early January 2025, STY returned to his home country and served as Vice President of the Football Association of South Korea (KFA) for 11 months. He then worked as Football Director at Seongnam FC for four months, before returning to on-pitch coaching duties with Ulsan HD for two months.

Now, the magic of the tactician who qualified Indonesia to the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers is eagerly awaited by Persija's loyal supporters. The target set is clear and uncompromising: restore the club's former glory and bring the Super League championship trophy back to the capital.