5 Tips to Watch the Indonesian Football League Live From the Stadium

The Indonesian Football League is now back on its feet and all the teams are welcoming the supporters back after two years of being absent from the stands. As the middle of the season approaches, the competition is getting more and more heated both for teams fighting for the top spot as well as teams struggling to get out of the bottom spot. If you happen to love football and enjoy traveling, why not pair the two and relish this moment to travel and watch the Indonesian Football League live from the stadium.

There are 18 teams competing in the 2022 Liga 1 Indonesia. They come from all over the nation, but most are concentrated in Java Island and some others come from Kalimantan, Bali, and Sulawesi. 

If you’re looking to witness the fans’ craze and enthusiasm, here are some of the things you need to take note of before joining the crowd.

5 tips for a comfortable live viewing of Indonesian Football League 

1. Pay attention to the kick-off time

Liga 1 matches are divided into different times. Some are held in the afternoon, while many others are held at night time. Most big matches kick-off at night during the television primetime. Therefore, the kick-off time should be the first thing you take a closer look at before deciding to go, especially if you’re planning on going with your family or children.

2. Buy tickets before the matchday

Tickets are usually sold a couple of days before the matchday. While tickets are also sold during the matchday in which you can directly buy them, some teams have a policy where you have to exchange the purchase receipt for the actual ticket during the matchday. Just make sure that you pay attention to each teams’ ticket policy. However, no matter the policy, if you’re not a seasoned stadium-goer, it’s better just to purchase ahead. Especially if you’re watching a game whose fans are always selling out the stadium regardless of the kick-off time or days. Tickets would often sell out before the matchday.

3. Look out for the scale of the match

Rivalries among supporters in Indonesia are very much varied. Some are okay and maintain good relationships with others and welcome anyone who wants to watch with open arms. However, many others are always ready to go toe-to-toe at every possible opportunity with each other which makes live spectating for casual fans a bit overwhelming to the extent of threatening.

4. Check out the stadium

Not all stadiums are located downtown. Some stadiums like Gelora Bandung Lautan Api in Bandung or Gelora Bung Tomo in Surabaya are located in the outskirts of the city. If you’re unfamiliar with the situation and not sure on how to get there, ask a local to guide you. If you can, find a local fan that knows what they’re doing and can help you navigate your way not only to the stadium, but also at the stadium. Even may protect you when things happen. You never know!

5. Comfort or Experience? 

Watching football live from the stadium does indeed offer a unique experience. The unique experience itself can come from the comfort of watching a thrilling game in a nice stadium, or it can come from the stadium’s atmosphere where the supporters become the one who make it lively. Take an example from PSS Sleman. When watching them live, it is the fans that would always sell out the Maguwoharjo International Stadium, who makes the experience of watching the game live better by showing up every game and showing off their creativity in what spectating looks like. Other fans like Persib’s bobotoh, Persebaya’s Bonek, or Persija fans are known as militant supporters who tirelessly support in their own unique and creative way..

Therefore, choose carefully which matches and what kind of experience you are looking for. The sitting position is also very well-decisive. The most expensive stands such as VIP are stands that give you comfort to watch both in terms of seating and the viewing angle. However, it is those stands filled with fanatical supporters that offer an increasingly exciting atmosphere. These two things are also worth considering with its own trade-offs.

Watching football live is indeed an experience of its own, but the experience will be even more exciting if you go together with a group of people without having to drive yourself. The reason being not all stadiums are conveniently accessible and the parking may as well be scarce. You definitely don’t want to get stuck in traffic or waste your time looking for traffic. Worst case scenario, you might just miss the game. For that, you can benefit from a car rental service if you only travel in a small group or rent a bus if you come in groups, especially at away games where you don’t know your way around and you’re going alone.

Choose the right car and bus rental like from TRAC. With TRAC, you can arrange your car or bus according to the number of passengers and the travel purpose. TRAC drivers are equipped with defensive driving/riding certificates to ensure that your ride with TRAC is safe and comfortable.

Download the TRACtoGo application from Google Playstore or Apple App Store and install on your smartphone to book a car and bus right away. With the app, get better deals and offers when booking a ride from TRAC. For more information, call Customer Assistance Center at 150009 or email eco.nasional@trac.astra.co.id.

In September 2022, TRAC is offering a special Biskonesia deal for you renting TRAC’s bus service. Use the promo code biskonesia 45 for big sized bus rentals and biskonesia17 for small and medium sized buses on the TRACtoGo application. Order now and get up to Rp450.000 off.