During the "soft" opening of Jakarta International Stadium, Barcelona's U-18 team beat their peers from Atletico Madrid. Next year, the largest stadium in Indonesia will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The construction of the stadium in Jakarta is now almost completed. The International Youth Championship (IYC) was held as part of the "soft" opening on April 13-19. 4 teams participated in it: Barcelona U-18, Atletico Madrid U-18, Bali United U-18 and Indonesia All-Star U20. In the final Barcelona beat Atletico 1-0.

The tournament was the first sports event at this facility, which is already 98% completed. So far, only 2,500 spectators have sat on the stands, but the city authorities ensure that in the coming months the stadium will host more and more sports, cultural and religious events.

© D'Erlangga

The tournament has shown that Jakarta is fully prepared to host the most important international football events, said Novita Dewi, head of Jakarta Experience Board at a press conference. The ultra-modern stadium is one of the elements of Jakarta's transformation. Such changes are being introduced in every area of life. 

Sports infrastructure is supposed to encourage large foreign investments. The city, inhabited by 8.4 million people, hopes that the construction of the stadium will be a great signal for the development of tourism, which is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy in Indonesia.

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Next year, Indonesia will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The prestigious tournament will be a huge test for a growing country. It will be the first major football event of this kind in this island country. The tournament will be played at 6 stadiums. Ukraine, which won in 2019 in Poland, will defend the title.

Jakarta International Stadium has a capacity of 82,000 seats. The venue meets all FIFA standards. There are two training pitches in the complex with a surface of the same quality as on the main pitch. The business zone of the arena has 52 boxes and an impressive panoramic terrace. A retractable roof allows to organise various types of events. Fans will be able to use the parking lot for 1,900 cars and 1,000 mopeds.