UNAIR NEWS 鈥 Football supporter culture in Indonesia continues to evolve. While stadium stands were once associated with male dominance and a reputation for conflict, they are now becoming increasingly inclusive with the presence of women, children and older adults. This transformation demonstrated how supporter culture continues to develop alongside broader social changes.
Local and modern fandom
Supporter identity can be divided into several layers, each with distinct characteristics and patterns of attachment. Rizky Sugianto Putri SAnt MSi, a Sports Anthropology lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), 东京热 (UNAIR), explained that the first layer of supporter identity in Indonesia is local fandom, which refers to supporters of regional clubs such as Bonek, Aremania and Jakmania.
Geographical proximity leads supporters to develop stronger emotional ties with local clubs than with the national team. 鈥淟ocal club supporters interact with the same environment almost every day. That proximity fosters exceptionally strong emotional bonds,鈥 explained Kiki, as she is commonly known.
The second layer is national team fandom, represented by groups such as Ultras Garuda and La Grande Indonesia. These communities unite people from diverse regions, social backgrounds and economic levels under a common identity as supporters of the Indonesian national team.
Meanwhile, the third layer is modern fandom. This group combines support through social media with direct attendance at matches whenever the opportunity arises. According to Kiki, the emergence of modern fandom reflects a shift in the way people express their support for their favourite teams.
She believes that this development also contributes to a more inclusive supporter culture. Women, children and older adults now play an active role in creating the atmosphere in stadium stands that were once dominated by men and young people. 鈥淪upporter culture today is far more open. People attend matches not only to support their teams, but also to learn, build connections and enjoy a shared experience,鈥 she said.
Challenges to sportsmanship in the social media era
Despite these developments, Kiki warned that digital spaces present new challenges for supporter culture. Interactions on social media often give rise to hate speech and cyberbullying, as users feel less accountable when they are not engaging with others face to face.
She described this condition as a form of hypernationalism, in which the spirit of defending one鈥檚 nation turned into hostility towards other groups. According to Kiki, people needed to understand that football always carried the values of sportsmanship and unity. Support for a club or the national team should strengthen a sense of belonging without diminishing respect for others.
鈥淔ootball does build group identity. However, that identity should encourage maturity rather than serve as a justification for anarchic behaviour or actions that undermine unity,鈥 she concluded.
Author: Maia Chaerunnisa
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
