{
  "id": 14665953,
  "title": "‘High hopes’ as Indonesian women get a football league, again",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/high-hopes-as-indonesian-women-get-a-football-league-again-14665953",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-15T09:54:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/10/15/high-hopes-as-indonesian-women-get-a-football-league-again"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Zahra Naqiyyah, a former Indonesian women's football star, believes the country has the potential to become a powerhouse in Asian women's football with proper management. The Indonesia Women's League (IWL) is set to return after a seven-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic and financial issues. The league will have six clubs participating in a five-year trial period, with a budget of 24 billion rupiah (US$1.3 million) allocated by the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) to restart the league and pay player salaries.\n\nZahra, only 15 years old when she helped her team win the first IWL season, is hopeful for the future of women's football in Indonesia. However, many of her friends have quit due to the lack of opportunities and the absence of a league. Nastasia Suci Ramadhani, a Maldives-born player, is studying management at university and has considered alternative careers such as police officer or soldier. Garudayaksa coach Yopie Riwoe acknowledges the challenges Indonesia faces in competing with top Asian nations, with Japan, China, and South Korea already boasting women's leagues and being competitive at the international level.\n\nThe IWL returns with a focus on creating a sustainable women's football industry, with the long-term goal of improving the overall support system around women's football in Indonesia.",
  "summary": "Sunday's matches in the Indonesia Women's League will be the first since 2019 and a new chapter for women's football in the Muslim-majority country of 290 million people.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Jakarta Post",
        "title": "'High hopes' as Indonesian women get a football league, again",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/high-hopes-as-indonesian-women-get-a-football-league-again",
        "published": "2026-10-15T09:17:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "‘High hopes’ as Indonesian women get a football league, again",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/high-hopes-as-indonesian-women-get-a-football-league-again-14672680",
        "published": "2026-10-15T09:54:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}