The U-17 World Cup 2025 in Qatar is set to adopt a distinctive approach to its venues, primarily utilizing the Aspire Zone training fields rather than grand stadiums, a stark contrast to Indonesia’s hosting of the tournament in 2023.
A staggering 90 percent of the U-17 World Cup 2025 matches are slated to take place at the Aspire Academy complex in Al Rayyan, Qatar. This decision marks a significant deviation from Indonesia’s strategy in 2023, where iconic venues like the Jakarta International Stadium, Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium, Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, and Manahan Stadium hosted the matches. For Qatar’s tournament, only the prestigious Khalifa International Stadium in Doha will serve as the venue for the final showdown, underscoring the unique “festival-like” setup.
This organizational choice caught Indonesia’s U-17 national team coach, Nova Arianto, by surprise. He initially anticipated that the squad would compete in the magnificent stadiums Qatar is known for, similar to the experiences of Indonesia’s U-23 and senior teams during their previous visits to the country.
“Honestly, at first, my expectation was that we would play in stadiums similar to what we experienced with the U-23 and senior national teams in Qatar,” Nova Arianto revealed. “However, during our workshop, it was explained that the format would be more like a festival, and we would be playing at the Aspire Academy.” While acknowledging the exceptional quality of the Aspire fields, he noted the distinct atmosphere: “The quality of the fields is undoubtedly very good. But it means the atmosphere will certainly be different because we’ll be playing on academy fields.”
Despite this unique setup for the U-17 World Cup, Nova Arianto remains confident in his team’s ability to adapt. He emphasized that the situation is not an obstacle, as the team has already conducted simulations under similar conditions during a training camp in Bali. “Once again, I don’t see this as an issue. We’ve already tried to adapt by holding a training camp in Bali,” Nova stated. “The situation on the fields at Bali United was almost identical to what we will experience at the World Cup, and I’m grateful that everything went well. I hope this will not be an excuse for us not to perform optimally. Because, again, this is an extraordinary event for the U-17 national team players and a crucial step in their development.”
Indonesia is poised to commence their U-17 World Cup 2025 campaign on November 4 against Zambia, followed by a challenging encounter with Brazil on November 7, and concluding their group stage matches against Honduras on November 10.
Coach Nova Arianto’s primary focus for his squad, dubbed Garuda Asia, is instilling strong mental fortitude, which he believes is more critical than addressing the team’s smaller physical stature compared to their Group H opponents. “Indeed, the mental aspect is what I have noted and must prepare for, because if we talk about player level, perhaps at the senior level it’s very different, but at the U-17 level, skill and physique can vary,” Nova Arianto elaborated. “When we previously faced Paraguay, Ivory Coast, and Panama, we were indeed significantly outmatched physically. But I told the players, it’s about having a strong mentality so we can compete.”
Summary
The U-17 World Cup 2025 in Qatar will adopt a unique approach, utilizing the Aspire Zone training fields for 90 percent of its matches, a significant deviation from Indonesia’s use of grand stadiums in 2023. Only the Khalifa International Stadium will host the final, creating a “festival-like” setup. This decision surprised Indonesia’s U-17 national team coach, Nova Arianto, who initially anticipated competing in Qatar’s renowned large stadiums.
Despite the change, Coach Arianto acknowledged the excellent quality of the Aspire fields, though the atmosphere would differ. He views this setup not as an obstacle, as the team has already adapted through simulations during a training camp in Bali. For their upcoming matches against Zambia, Brazil, and Honduras, Arianto prioritizes instilling strong mental fortitude in his players, considering it more crucial than physical differences.
