Persija vs Persib Permit Uncertainty: Shin Tae-yong Demands Fairness

On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, as the 2026/2027 Indonesian Super League season was still sizzling after Matchweek 1, a bombshell rocked the Indonesian football world: the derby between Persija Jakarta and Persib Bandung – two of the country's biggest clubs – was waiting for a crowd-gathering permit from Polda Metro Jaya. The fixture was originally scheduled at Gelora Bung Karno (SUGBK), where Persija was viewed as the home side, but with only four days until kickoff, everything remained unclear. Shin Tae-yong, Persija's head coach, spoke out strongly: if the venue changed, he would see it as a serious issue and demand the principle of fairness for both teams. This was not just an administrative permit dispute, but a big question about fairness in Indonesian football, especially as the two teams had different results after Matchweek 1.