Western Sydney Wanderers are set to embark on a pre-season trip to Indonesia to take on the reigning Liga 1 Indonesia Champions Persib Bandung on August 2.
Fresh from a 3-0 win over Peninsula Power in the Australia Cup, the Wanderers will make the overseas journey this week to take on Persib at GBLA Stadium in Bandung on Saturday night.
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The clash forms part of a short pre-season training camp in Indonesia and is a continuation of the Wanderers’ strong links to Asia, a place that holds a special place in the club’s history.
Having famously been crowned the Champions of Asia in 2014, the Wanderers remain one of Australia’s most recognised clubs on the international stage.
This weekend’s fixture is another opportunity for the club to grow its global footprint while testing itself against one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic and well-supported
football institutions.
Persib – nine-time Champions of Indonesia’s top-tier – will use the international friendly as a final tune-up for the 2025-26 Liga 1 Indonesia campaign; the club confirmed they will also use Saturday’s clash with the Wanderers as an opportunity to launch a new jersey ahead of the upcoming season.
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“We’re incredibly proud of our standing in the Asia-Pacific community,” Western Sydney Wanderers CEO Scott Hudson said.
“Returning to South-East Asia is not only a homage to our history but also a chance to create new relationships and challenge ourselves against a top club in a unique football environment.
“Persib Bandung are one of the biggest clubs in Asia. Their fanbase is electric and their stature in Indonesia is huge, so this will be an invaluable experience for our players and staff.
“As a club with global ambition, it’s important that we continue to foster international connections, both on and off the pitch. This fixture is a fantastic step in that direction and we thank Persib Bandung for their invitation.”
For Wanderers fans, the Persib clash presents the opportunity to become better acquainted with new signings as head coach Alen Stajcic looks to build off the 3-0 Australia Cup win over Peninsula Power, in which recruits Kosta Barbarouses and Alou Kuol both played from the start.
Steven Ugarkovic, who joined from Champions Melbourne City, came off the bench and could receive his first Wanderers start against Persib – as could Phillip Cancar who returned to the club this off-season from Newcastle Jets.
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“We are extremely grateful to be invited to play against the current 2-time Indonesian Champions in their own backyard,” said Wanderers head coach Stajcic.
“We are looking forward to the challenge on playing against Persib Bandung and also playing in front of their loud and passionate home support. It will be a fantastic experience for our players as we continue preparations for the Australia Cup and the A-League.
“As Socceroos fans, we were recently exposed to the improved quality of Indonesian Football and the amazing growth of football throughout their country, so it will be a fantastic moment for our football club to both compete with Persib but also create strong relationships with them to help build the foundations of both our clubs.”
Further details about the match, including kick-off time and streaming details, will be shared in due course.
