From Papua to the World: PFA Chases Dream for Gothia Cup 2025
Timika, July 6 2025 - Today, 18 students from Papua Football Academy (PFA) left Timika to compete in Gothia Cup 2025 Tournament, the world’s largest youth football tournament, which will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from July 13-19, 2025
“They will undergo centralized training and trial matches in Jakarta before their departure. Afterwards, the team will depart for Sweden on Friday, July 11, 2025,” said PFA Head Coach Ardiles Rumbiak
He explained that the students consist of 16 students born in 2011 and 2 students born in 2010. As they prepare to go for Sweden, they received special briefings on the culture and languages of participating countries, international communication etiquette, how to build global friendships, as well as the values of sportsmanship and fair play.
“In line with the PFA Children Safeguarding, before departure we also provided an overview schedule, accommodation, culture, language, including food there. This way, they are more prepared and feel safe, and can adapt more easily upon arrival in Sweden,” said Ardiles.
Meanwhile, Director and EVP Sustainable Development PTFI Claus Wamafma said that this tournament is a golden opportunity for PFA to gain experience on international level competition. “Beside competing, they will also experience and see the football atmosphere in Europe and the world, which has been the mecca of modern football,” he said.
Claus said that PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), as the initiator of PFA children not only at the national but also international level. Gothia Cup 2025 is the second international tournament followed by PFA in 2025. Going forward, PTFI hopes PFA can become one of the best football academies in Indonesia,” said Claus.
PFA becomes the first representative specifically from Papua to compete in the Gothia Cup. The student who will represent Papua and Indonesia previously participated in the Papua Selection Camp in the Meet the World with SKF program.
Meet the World with SKF is a global CSR initiative from SKF that presents qualifying tournaments to compete for tickets to Gothia Cup, the world’s largest youth football tournament. All funding for program, from accomodation to tournament participation, is fully borne by SKF. This program aims to empower the younger generation through sports, serving as means of talent development, character building, and strengthening a sense of togetherness among Indonesian youth.
SKF Industrial Indonesia (SKF) is the main sponsor supporting PFA’s departure to Gothia Cup 2025. It is known that SKF and PTFI have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support PFA competing in Gothia Cup 2025. This MoU was signed by the President Director of PT SKF Industrial Indonesia , Satheswaran Mayachandran and President Director of PTFI, Tony Wenas in Jakarta on Monday, May 25, 2025.
PFA’s participation in the Gothia Cup 2025 is a commitment of both companies to build a strong foundation for development of youth football in Indonesia, especially in Papua. For PFA, this is the second visit to the European Continent. Previously, they appeared in the Junior World Cup Antalya, Turkey, from April 16-20, 2025.
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