Memorandum Signed between Australian and Indonesian Football Associations

The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Bill Farmer, welcomes the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Football Federation Australia (FFA) and the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).

The MoU provides a framework for cooperation between Australia and Indonesia in areas including coaching education, development of talented players and women’s football.

“The signing of this MoU is another example of the continued strong cooperation between Indonesia and Australia,” said Ambassador Farmer.

“The MoU will not only strengthen football in both our countries, but also provide an excellent opportunity to increase people-to-people links between Indonesia and Australia.”

In the MoU, Indonesia and Australia agreed to cooperate on their respective bids to host the football World Cup. Australia is a candidate to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022, and Indonesia is a candidate to host in 2022.

FFA Chairman, Mr Frank Lowy AC, said “this is a landmark agreement with one of our closest neighbours that will see the game in both countries benefit enormously by the sharing of technical knowledge and experience”.

President of PSSI, Mr Nurdin Halid, agreed, noting that “we enjoy a close relationship with Australia and we are proud to be involved in this agreement which will bring us even closer together.”

Last year, the Australian Embassy hosted a coaching clinic for local schoolchildren featuring a number of Australian Socceroos players who were in Jakarta to play against Indonesia in an Asian Cup qualifying game. The FFA will host Indonesian officials at the upcoming return game between the Indonesian and Australian national teams, to be played in Brisbane on 3 March.

Recognising the friendship and health benefits for participants, Australia also cooperates with Indonesia in a number of other sports, including through the Deteksi Basketball League.

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