Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Jakarta ( 'Indonesian Football Association of Jakarta'), abbreviated as Persija (), is an Indonesian professional football club based in the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta. Persija Jakarta is the most successful football clubs in Indonesia with 2 Indonesian League titles and 9 Perserikatan titles. It has never been in a lower league since a nationwide competition started in 1930. Persija is one of the founders of the Indonesian football association PSSI, along with six other clubs. Persija's rivalry with fellow PSSI founder Persib Bandung, referred to as the Indonesian El Clásico or Derbi Indonesia, has gone on for decades, occasionally marred by violence.
History Foundation and early years Persija has roots that predate the current Indonesian state, which declared independence in 1945. Its forerunner, the (VIJ), was formed on 28 November 1928 as a football club for Indonesian residents of Jakarta when the Dutch were still colonising the country. The name Jacatra refers to a fort on the northern coast of present-day Jakarta. VIJ, along with six other Indonesian clubs, established PSSI on 19 April 1930 and won the first PSSI-authorised competition in 1931. In 1937, VIJ did not enter the competition but after that the club was always in the top division. Post-independence VIJ changed its name to Persija in 1950, five years after the Indonesian independence. In mid-1951, a club with ethnic Chinese, Dutch and Eurasian players merged with the rebranded outfit. As the Indonesia national football team in the 1950s heavily depended on Persija players, its line-ups at that time were filled by many ethnic Chinese, Dutch and Eurasian players from the Jakarta club.
Amateur years (1951–1994) After the 1945 independence, national football competitions in Indonesia centred on region-based associations of amateur clubs that received funding from the state. These associations, including Persija, played against each other in an annual tournament known as Perserikatan, which literally means union. Almost all of these associations were seen as representatives of the main ethnic group in their respective regions, flaming primordial sentiments. Multicultural Persija was the exception. Persija won six national titles in the Perserikatan years. However, its fanbase was small and less passionate compared to ethnic-based supporter groups of Persib Bandung, Persebaya Surabaya, PSM Makassar or PSMS Medan. As the Perserikatan games became popular and televised from the 1980s, the other clubs proved to be more dominant with their stronger band of supporters.
Semi-professional years (1994–2008) Following the merger of the amateur Perserikatan and semi-professional Galatama leagues by the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) in 1994, Persija Jakarta entered the inaugural 1994–95 Liga Indonesia Premier Division. The transition proved difficult for the capital city club, which lacked the modernized corporate structure and large, consolidated fan bases enjoyed by regional rivals like Persib Bandung or Persebaya Surabaya. Consequently, during the first three seasons of the unified league, Persija consistently finished in the mid-table of the West Division, failing to qualify for the championship knockout stages.
The club's trajectory shifted decisively in late 1997 following the appointment of Sutiyoso as the Governor of Jakarta, who took an active role as the club's chief patron. Seeking to revitalize football in the capital, Sutiyoso initiated a comprehensive administrative and visual overhaul. He changed the club's primary kit color from its historical red and white to orange to forge a distinct identity built around the team's Macan Kemayoran (Kemayoran Tigers) moniker. Administratively, the club received increased financial backing and appointed Diza Rasyid Ali as team manager to aggressively recruit elite Indonesian national team players, while simultaneously establishing the official supporter group, The Jakmania, on 19 December 1997 to organize the city's fragmented football fans.
These institutional reforms rapidly translated into competitive success on the pitch. Under the tactical guidance of head coach Sofyan Hadi, Persija emerged as the dominant team during the 2001 Liga Indonesia Premier Division. After topping the West Division in the regular season, the club advanced to the final at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on 7 October 2001. Playing before a capacity crowd of approximately 60,000 spectators, Persija secured its first national league title of the unified era by defeating defending champions PSM Makassar 3–2, driven by an early goal from Imran Nahumarury and a decisive brace from striker Bambang Pamungkas.
Following the 2001 championship, Persija remained a perennial title contender throughout the mid-2000s, heavily supported by municipal backing. The club consistently reached the late knockout rounds of the domestic league and finished as runners-up in both the 2005 Premier Division championship, where they fell to Persipura Jayapura, and the 2005 Copa Indonesia. This sustained period of semi-professional competitiveness concluded in 2008 when PSSI overhauled the national football pyramid to comply with Asian Football Confederation professional standards, officially transitioning the top flight into the fully professional Indonesia Super League.
Professional years (2008–present) The restructuring of the national football pyramid by the PSSI in 2008 marked Persija Jakarta's transition into the fully professional era, beginning with the inaugural 2008–09 Indonesia Super League (ISL) season. The initial years of this professional transition were characterized by financial volatility and political decoupling, as the government banned the use of regional government budgets (APBD) to fund professional clubs. Persija struggled to maintain its elite status under these new financial restrictions, enduring a title drought for over a decade. The club experienced significant administrative upheaval, frequent coaching changes, and temporary relocations away from Jakarta due to stadium availability and security challenges, which hindered their consistency despite maintaining a strong, loyal fanbase through The Jakmania.
The club's fortunes shifted significantly following corporate stabilization in the late 2010s, culminating in a historic 2018 season under the tactical guidance of Brazilian head coach Stefano Cugurra. Persija achieved a historic domestic treble by winning the 2018 Indonesia President's Cup pre-season tournament, the Boost Sports Super Fix Cup in Malaysia, and ultimately the 2018 Liga 1 title. The league championship was secured on 9 December 2018 after a dramatic 2–1 victory over Mitra Kukar at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, ending a 17-year national league title drought. This successful campaign was spearheaded by prolific Croatian striker Marko Šimić, veteran midfielder Riko Simanjuntak, and long-serving club icons Ismed Sofyan and goalkeeper Andritany Ardhiyasa.
Following their 2018 triumph, Persija consolidated its position as a modern, professionally run club. They achieved continental representation in the AFC Cup and won the 2021 Menpora Cup during the domestic restart following the COVID-19 pandemic suspensions. The club continued to invest in world-class infrastructure and top-tier technical staff, notably hiring former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Doll in 2022, which led to a runners-up finish in the 2022–23 Liga 1 season. Persija transitioned into its next era of leadership by appointing national team manager Shin Tae-yong to guide the first team, while simultaneously achieving long-term stability by moving its primary home base to the state-of-the-art, 82,000-seat Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), ensuring a world-class venue for both the club and its massive Jakmania support network.
This footage from the Persija U-20 2025/2026 Elite Pro Academy Championship showcases the modern era of the club, highlighting its emphasis on youth development and the electric matchday atmosphere generated by The Jakmania inside the newly adopted Jakarta International Stadium.
Persija is undeniably one of Indonesia's leading clubs with a fanbase that is now considered as the biggest in Asia, according to a December 2020 survey by the Asian Football Confederation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Persija games could easily gather more than 50,000 people inside the stadium with thousands watching on public screens in neighbourhoods across the sprawling capital. Persija holds the record for highest attendance in an AFC Cup match when it faced with Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. in 2018.
In April 2022, Persija appointed former Borussia Dortmund manager, Thomas Doll, as the new head coach and manager in a three-year deal. Doll brought Persija to second place in the 2022–23 season by only conceding 27 goals. Persija and Doll agreed to mutually part ways before the 2024–25 season after a disappointing eight place finish in the 2023–24 Liga 1 season.
Doll was replaced by former Ratchaburi head coach, Carlos Peña in a one-year deal for the 2024–25 Liga 1 season.
Stadium
Persija currently plays their home matches at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (GBK) in Central Jakarta, along with the Indonesia national football team. As VIJ, Persija first played at VIJ Stadium Petojo, Gambir.
Before settling at the GBK, the club used smaller stadiums as their home ground, including Menteng Stadium and Lebak Bulus Stadium until 2007. Persija also had to relocate to some stadium like Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium or Wibawa Mukti Stadium, when the GBK stadium is not available due to national agenda or under maintenance and renovation.
Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan decided in 2019 to build a new stadium for Persija in North Jakarta, called the Jakarta International Stadium. The new stadium was completed in 2022. However, there had been a campaign to rename the stadium after intellectual, national hero and Jakarta native, Mohammad Husni Thamrin. Thamrin also played an important part in the founding of Persija as VIJ by contributing his own money to build VIJ's first football pitch and stadium, VIJ Stadium.
Players Current squad
Out on loan The following is a list of players who remain part of Persija Jakarta first team in the 2026–2027 season, but currently on loan at other clubs.
Retired numbers 12 – The 12th man, reserved for club supporters The Jakmania. 14 – Ismed Sofyan 20 – Bambang Pamungkas
Personnel First team coaches & staffs The following is a list of coaches and staffs of Persija Jakarta's first team for the 2026–2027 season. PositionNameHead coach Shin Tae-yongTeam manager Ardhi TjahjokoHead of scouting Kim Dong-kiAssistant coach Cho Byung-kuk Choi In-cheul Maman Abdurahman Taji Prashetio Francis WewengkangGoalkeeping coach Yoo Jae-hoonPhysical coach Huh Ji-sub Hwang Ji-hwanAnalyst Kim Jong-jin Muhammad FayyadhInterpreter Jeong Seok-seoTeam secretary Regi HariansyahTeam doctor Muhammad Adeansah Paruhum Rico YohanesPhysiotherapist Jeremia Halomoan GusdiartomoMasseur Aditya JulistiawanKitman Candra Darmawan Aries Tri KurniawanMedia officer Kukuh WahyudiPhotographer Khairul ImamVideographer Faizal Maulana Akbar
Corporate management The following is a list of individuals in the management of PT Persija Jaya Jakarta, the company that owns Persija Jakarta. PositionNamePresident commissioner Sharif Cicip SutardjoCommissioner Bambang Irawan Hendradi Budiman DalimunteDirector Mohamad PrapancaSports director Bambang PamungkasTechnical director & head of youth development Muhamad Yusup PrasetiyoFinance director Kokoh AfiatMarketing director Agus JuliantoFans engagement manager Tauhid Ferry IndrasjariefHR & GA manager Tazkia Edelia SumediAccounting & reporting manager Rizki Putri NurdiatiMedia manager Yudhistira Achmad NugrohoHead of LOC Albinus Laurent
Kit Colours