League Cup 2026/2027: Three Heated Clashes Kept Apart for Security, PSSI Highlights Cross-Tier Appeal

The group-stage draw for the 2026/2027 League Cup at Menara Mandiri, Jakarta, on Wednesday (7/10/2026), produced an unusual decision: three pairs of clubs with a long history of rivalry are confirmed not to be placed in the same group. The policy was taken not for competitive reasons, but purely out of security and police permit considerations.

The three separated pairs are PSS Sleman and PSIM Yogyakarta, Persijap Jepara and Persis Solo, and Arema FC and Dewa United FC. The separation is part of the draw limitation mechanism applied by competition operator I-League after coordinating with security authorities.

I-League President Director Ferry Paulus stressed that the rule is more a consequence of the police permit process than an internal tournament regulation. According to him, the limitation can still be reviewed if conditions on the ground allow. "If it is felt that it can still be handled from the security side, from the permit side, I think the limitation can still be flexible for us," he said, adding that the final decision still awaits the police recommendation.

The decision comes amid the collective memory of the unrest that occurred after the Indonesia national team versus Bangladesh match at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. Incidents of verbal clashes and shoving between players on the pitch served as an alarm that match tensions can explode at any time, even at the international level. In the context of domestic competition, a similar risk is considered greater because it involves supporter bases with a long history of enmity.

Nevertheless, PSSI Secretary General Yunus Nusi sees another, more favorable side. According to him, the League Cup offers its own appeal when Championship clubs get the chance to challenge Super League teams. "We see there are Championship clubs that will play against the Super League. This will certainly be awaited by people in the regions where those clubs are based," said Yunus. He cited the potential match between PSMS Medan and Persija Jakarta, which is predicted to bring an extraordinary atmosphere.

However, behind that euphoria, questions about security remain. Separating certain clubs in the group stage is only a temporary solution; once the tournament moves to the knockout rounds, the potential for them to meet again is wide open. This is where the real test lies for I-League and the police: whether they can prepare sufficiently strict security protocols, or instead sacrifice the competition's prestige to avoid clashes.

What needs to be noted is that this limitation policy could set a precedent for the organization of national football tournaments going forward. If applied too often, it is not impossible that the public will judge that Indonesian football has not been able to manage rivalry maturely. Conversely, if security runs smoothly, the League Cup could become an example that cross-tier competition can still proceed without significant incidents.

The question now is: how long will this security-based separation be maintained? Is this a necessary pragmatic step, or rather an admission that the root problem of supporter rivalry has not been touched? The public waits, and the pitch will be the proof.