Filling the College Competition Space with Campus League

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — University-level sports competitions play an important role as a continuation from the school level and as a bridge to the professional level. The more competitions that are held, the more potential student-athletes emerge and catch the attention of national teams.

The latest initiative comes from Campus League, a private organization aimed at developing students' potential through competitions in various sports. With a competition of the same title, Campus League will kick off its zero season as an opening edition from October to November.

Futsal, a sport considered popular among students, has been selected as the event contested in this inaugural season. The competition will commence in two cities, namely Jakarta and Yogyakarta.

"We want to strengthen the chain of sports achievements, becoming a competition that drives the existence of sports to a global level, which ultimately helps Indonesia achieve excellence in sports," said Campus League CEO Ryan Gozali at a Media Gathering event in Jakarta, Thursday (2/10/2025).

"The hope is that these student athletes will eventually become professionals, both in sports and outside of sports," he added.

To that end, Ryan said, the competition has had three primary goals from the outset. In addition to creating a support system that allows student athletes to pursue their passions without sacrificing their careers, the Campus League is intended to provide a platform for student athletes to gain recognition and expand their networks.

Not only that, Campus League also aims to empower students, especially bridging the gap between universities and the career world.

In terms of the continuity of the competition, Ryan promised that the Campus League would be held regularly and consistently. This consistency is an important aspect in the organization of sporting events.

With the commitment to sustainability and certainty in organization, each campus can prepare well in advance as they have a clear timeline. Student athletes can also learn to manage their preparation time.

"We have established a plan for the next 10 years consisting of three phases. For this first phase, from 2025 to 2027, the implementation will focus on the islands of Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara," said Ryan.

The Chairman of the Indonesian Futsal Federation, Michael Victor Sianipar, stated that the presence of university-level competitions initiated by the private sector, such as the Campus League, complements the futsal development pyramid in Indonesia. The national team is at the top level, while the professional futsal league, organized by the federation, is at the level below it.

With university-level competition, development can be broader and reach other potential players. It is hoped that the federation can also utilize the Campus League and similar competitions to scout players for the national team selection.

Moreover, starting next year, the Indonesian Futsal Federation also plans to send teams to age group tournaments. "We also hope that the synergy with the federation in the future will be deeper so that it can align with the long-term preparation of the national team," said Michael.

In the futsal sport, there have actually been several competitions at the university level that have been organized. Two of them are the Student Futsal League and the Student League. With the presence of the Campus League, competitions at this level are becoming increasingly lively.

In addition to futsal, the Campus League will also compete in two other popular sports, namely basketball and badminton starting next year. The host cities will also expand to Bandung and Surabaya.

At the end of the competition season, there will also be matches for multi-sport events. The competitions include women's football, rock climbing, jiu-jitsu, wushu, and billiards.

The President Director of the Bakti Olahraga Djarum Foundation, Victor Hartono, stated that the Djarum Group is committed to supporting the organization of the Campus League. In fact, this commitment has been established for up to 30 years to ensure that this event will continue to exist and be held.

"We all want to see Indonesia become an extraordinary force in the world of sports. We want to unite Indonesia through sports. Therefore, from our business group, that is what we can support for the Campus League," said Victor Hartono.