Vice President Supports Global Collaboration to Advance National Football

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming received Ethan Hunt, founder and CEO of the International Soccer Academy of America (ISAA), at the Vice President's Palace on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The meeting discussed the opportunity to send young Indonesian students and athletes to study and develop their professional talents in the United States.

This step is a concrete implementation of President Prabowo Subianto's Asta Cita (Asta Cita) program, specifically regarding strengthening human development (HRD) and improving sports performance.

In his statement, Ethan Hunt revealed that ISAA is coordinating intensively with the Indonesian government and soccer associations to facilitate Indonesian students' education in the US through I-29 student visa support.

"Our main focus is bringing Indonesian students to America to study. We plan a phased quota, starting with five students in the first year and increasing each year for the next five years. The ultimate goal is for them to return to Indonesia with greater talent to contribute to the national soccer culture," Ethan conveyed.

This program is designed not just as a short training camp, but rather as a formal educational pathway at universities and high schools integrated with professional football career development.

The Vice President welcomed the initiative and emphasized that the government would immediately coordinate with relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Youth and Sports and other technical ministries, to ensure smooth administrative processes and program integration.

"The Vice President stated that he will work with government officials to realize what we discussed earlier. He also encouraged us to continue this collaboration so that we can provide professional educational opportunities for Indonesian students," Ethan said.

In addition to sending local talent abroad, this collaboration also opens up opportunities for cultural exchange, encouraging young athletes from the United States to come and play in Indonesia. This reciprocal exchange is expected to strengthen the national football ecosystem and strengthen bilateral relations through sport.

Through synergy between the government, football associations, and international institutions such as the ISAA, it is hoped that the transformation of the quality of Indonesian football can go hand in hand with improving the academic quality of Indonesian human resources.