All Indonesia Soccer Association

Persatuan Sepakbola Seluruh Indonesia (PSSI)
 
Founded : 1930
FIFA       :1952
AFC       :1954
Address: Stadion Utama Senayan
Pintu VII Senayan - Jakarta
Principal Stadium: Senayan Main Stadium - Jakarta (110.000)
Other stadium: Mattoangin Stadium - Ujungpandang (35.000)
10th November Stadium - Surabaya (30.000)
Teladan Stadium - Medan (30.000)
Sriwedari Stadium - Solo (30.000)
Senayan Stadium in Jakarta-Indonesia
Picture: Paul Tedjasurya/ "Pikiran Rakyat Daily"-Bandung-Indonesia
It is difficult to accommodate the popularity of soccer in Indonesia into a competition due to geographical situation, as a world's largest archipelago. Nearly 200 million people (spread across more than 10.000 islands, in 1.948.732 sq km) have to compete in one competition, The Indonesian Premier League Competition (Indonesian League) or Liga Indonesia. Beginning 1994/1995, 33 clubs compete in Liga Indonesia.
Back to the early  days, it was the Dutch who introduced soccer to Indonesia. And amazingly, Indonesia surfaced in the final rounds of two big soccer competition, the soccer World Cup and Olympic Games.
In 1930, six county from al over the country formed own  competition in Medan (North Sumatera), Surabaya (East Java), Semarang (Central Java), Bandung (West Java),  East (Sulawesi Island, Maluku, Sunda Kecil), and Bardjarmasin (Kalimantan).  They are all affiliated to NIVU (Netherland's India Football Association).
Meanwhile The All Indonesian Soccer Federation - Persatuan Sepakbola Seluruh Indonesia - was founded in Yogya also that year on Saturday, April 19-1930. The meeting was held at Societeit Hadiprojo Yogyakarta. Seven County  from all over Java island acted as founding members, which were VIJ (Jakarta) represented by  Soekardi, BIVB (Bandung) represented by Mr. Syamsoedin, MIVB (Magelang) represented by E. Mangindaan, MVB (Madiun) represented by M. Dharsono, SIVB (Surabaya) represented by R. Pamoedji, VVB (Surakarta) represented by Saronto, Soedaryo Tjokrosisworo and Soetarman, and PSM (Yogyakarta) represented by HA Hamid, Daslam, and Amir Noto.
The first chairman  -- elected by voting -- of PSSI  was Ir. Soeratin Sosrosoegondo. Three names were there to choose for the new organization, 1. PSSI (Persatuan Sepakraga Seluruh Indonesia), 2. INVB (Indonesische National Voetbal Bond), 3. PVBI (Persatuan Voetbal Bond Indonesia). Sometime earlier, an organization of Indonesian Football, called IVB (Indonesische Voetbal Bond) was born in Surabaya, but in Yogyakarta delegation from Surabaya decided to disperse IVB and then joined the new organization. All delegates named their  new organization as PSSI.  And the first committee of PSSI  was:
 
 

 
 
 

Chairman: Ir. Soeratin Sosrosoegondo 
Vice Chairman: H.A Hamid 
Secretary I: R.Md Amir 
Secretary II: R. Soetjitro 
Treasurer; Anwar Noto 
Commissioner of Central Java (in Solo): Sastrosaksono 
Commissioner of Wet Java (in Bandung): R Atot Soeriawinata 
Commissioner of East Java (in Surabaya): Mr. Dr. Ng.Soebroto 
Competition chief: T. Soetarman 
Promotion: R. Soedaryo Tjokrosisworo 
Consul: Sjamsoedin (Jakarta), Soetarman (Surakarta), and R. Pamoedji (Surabaya)
 
And until the Dutch left Indonesia after World War II, and Indonesia Independence Day in 1945, there were still two governing body - PSSI and NIVU -- of Indonesian soccer
 
 
As Dutch Indies, a representative team of the colonial "Nederland Indische Voetbal Unie" (NIVU)  
qualified for the 1938 World Cup in France but was defeated in the first round.
Private Documentation
Nederland Indische Voetbal Unie (NIVU) team which played at 1938 World Cup final round. From left to right (front): Telwe, Hukom, Pattiwael, Soedarmadji, Tan See Han and Hong Djin.  Back row: Anwar, Dorst, Bing Mo Heng, Van der Burg, Faulhaber.*

 

In 1949, the new goverment of Indonesia establish the name of the association as PSSI (Persatuan Sepakbola Seluruh Indonesia) and introduced the first PSSI national championship in 1951. The first champion of Indonesia was Persebaya of Surabaya (East Java).
Still in 1951 PSSI made its international debut at Asian Games in New Delhi. But they were losing to India, Afghanistan, Burma, and Iran. Anyway, the first win arrived when on the way home from New Delhi they  defeated Singapore Selection 4-1 in Singapore. It was the first win for Indonesian National Team and followed by friendlies win over Hongkong and Phillippines 4-1 and  5-0 in 1953. Later that  year PSSI lost 0-2 at  Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta to Yugoslavia national team, but the experience kept  the players sharper than before and  ready for the next big step, Olympic Games.
In 1956, Indonesia went through to the final rounds of the Olympic Games in Melbourne, -- and did the unthinkable -- held mighty Russia to a scoreless draw before losing the replay 0-4. Among the player of Russian team was their famous goalkeeper, Lev "the Black Spider" Yashin. These were absolutely two great moments in Indonesian soccer history. And the man behind the scene of history was a Yugoslav master coach,  Tony Pogaknik.
Though Senayan Main Stadium in Jakarta is the largest stadium in South East Asia, the national team record never been that big. Indonesian national team has been unsuccessful in qualifying for the World Cup. And since 1956, the national team never reach the final round of Olympic Games.
Still staging amateur competition since the early days, PSSI launched the first Premier League called Galatama or the semipro league back to 1981. The first champions of this competition was Warna Agung-Jakarta with their very talented and star player, Indonesian international, Ronny Pattinasarani.
**
In 1985, Indonesia had the best World Cup qualifying series since appeared as Dutch Indies team in World Cup 1938 in France final round. After overcome India, Thailand, and Bangladesh in Group-3 sub group B, Indonesia went through, only to found the South Koreans were the better team. Indonesia lost both home and away game to the World Cup Cup finalist.
Beginning season 1993/1994, the amateur Premier League and Galatama were blent into one competition called Liga Indonesia or Indonesian Premier League.  It proved  very important to Indonesian soccer after so many years of [useless] competition behind the scene between amateur and semi-pro official.
And the first champions of the competition was Persib-Bandung from West Java. On the following season, another club from West Java, Bandung Raya won the competition. But both Persib and Bandung Raya were defeated in the Asian Champions Cup and Asian Winners Cup (as Bandung Raya preffered to let runner-up team, PSM Ujungpandang played in Asian Champions Cup that year).***