FIFA freezes funding to football association of Indonesia

JAKARTA: The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has frozen funding to Indonesia's football association (PSSI) after stripping the country of its hosting rights for the Under 20 World Cup 2023 last week.

The federation, however, reaffirmed its full commitment to support PSSI in the transformation process of the country's football.

"Following last week's meeting, the FIFA Administration had, as a sanction, provisionally recommended a restriction on the use of FIFA Forward funds until further notice," its president Gianni Infantino said.

In a statement, he said FIFA would thoroughly assess the strategic plan that PSSI president Erick Thohir had presented in Paris on Thursday before lifting the sanction.

As a follow-up to their meeting in Qatar on March 29, Erick also shared the Indonesian government's plans to invest in football infrastructures all over the country.

FIFA withdrew the right to host the 24-team tournament from Indonesia after two regional governors refused to host the Israeli team.

The U-20 World Cup is scheduled to start from May 20 to June 11 in six locations namely Bali, Bandung, Jakarta, Palembang, Solo and Surabaya.

-- BERNAMA