Trusting Persebaya's Quality, Francisco Rivera Targets the 2026 President's Cup Champion Title.

Persebaya Surabaya are heading into the 2026 President's Cup final with high confidence. Attacking midfielder Francisco Rivera has confirmed the Bajul Ijo squad is fully prepared to face Persib Bandung for the title match at Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium, Bali on Thursday evening, 6 August.

Despite only having a short preparation window following their physically draining semi-final fixture, the Mexican player assured every member of the team is battle-ready to take on one of Indonesia's top football clubs.

"First of all, thank you to all Bonek and Bonita supporters, as well as the President's Cup organising committee. I believe our preparations have gone well. We did not get much time to get ready, but Persebaya is prepared," Rivera stated during an online press conference ahead of the 2026 President's Cup final held in Jakarta.

Persebaya secured their spot in the tournament decider after defeating Arema FC 1-0 in the semi-final round. Bajul Ijo's winning goal came from a header by Yuran Fernandes, converted from a corner kick delivered by Rivera himself.

This contribution continues Rivera's vital role throughout this entire pre-season tournament. The upcoming final will mark his 5th appearance at the 2026 President's Cup.

Rivera is fully aware that facing Persib will be no easy task. Persib enter the final as three-time consecutive defending Liga Indonesia champions, and boast a squad stacked with experienced players.

Even so, the 31-year-old midfielder has chosen to focus on his own team's strengths. He is confident that Persebaya's work ethic and on-pitch quality will be enough to put up a strong fight, while opening a real chance to bring home the trophy.

"Yes, we know Persib has an excellent squad, with players that hold very high quality and vast experience. Tomorrow will be a tough match, and we will fight with everything we have," the 31-year old Mexican player added.

Rivera's optimism is far from unfounded. Last season, he acted as one of Persebaya's core playmakers, recording 13 goals and 10 assists across 30 appearances. This outstanding performance carried Bajul Ijo to a top 4 finish in the final Liga Indonesia standings.