
Project Director of the Garuda International Cup, Wahyu Budiarto, has announced that there will be an increase in the number of participating countries and age categories in the next edition of the tournament.
The Garuda International Cup (GIC) 2024, held at the ASIOP Training Ground in Bogor, concluded on Sunday, August 25, 2024.
This year’s GIC featured teams from eight countries: Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, China, Malaysia, Japan, Cambodia, and Singapore.
“Alhamdulillah, this year marks the fourth GIC, and the 2024 edition has successfully concluded. Alhamdulillah, everything went smoothly and successfully, and we now know the champions,” said Wahyu Budiarto.
“For the U-17 category, the champion was Guangzhou FC; for U-12, it was JFA Tokyo Purple; and for U-10, it was Tunas Johor Baru from Malaysia. This year, no Indonesian team won.”
“As predicted, this year was more competitive, with many elite teams joining GIC 2024,” he explained.
The success of this year’s event has led the tournament organizers to aim for more than eight countries participating in GIC 2025.
“Insya Allah, we want to improve each year, both in terms of the number of participants. This year there were eight countries,” said Wahyu Budiarto.
“Every year we’ve increased from three, five, seven, and now eight. Insya Allah, next year we aim for more than eight countries,” he added.
Wahyu Budiarto also hinted at innovations for the next GIC, including plans to add more age categories.
The age categories have already expanded from previous editions. In GIC 2024, there were three age categories: U-10, U-12, and U-17.
In the previous three editions, only U-12 and U-17 categories were contested. Additionally, the ASIOP Stadium, located in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, will soon be inaugurated.
“Because we now have a new field in Jakarta, ASIOP Stadium, this could also become a new venue for GIC, especially for age categories that were not present in Sentul (Bogor),” Wahyu Budiarto said.
“So, in Jakarta, we will focus on odd age categories, and in Sentul, we will have even categories,” he explained.