Badminton holds the position of Indonesia's most successful Olympic sport, with the country claiming eight gold medals across the Summer Games since its first gold in 1992. Susi Susanti won Indonesia's first-ever Olympic gold medal in women's singles badminton at the Barcelona 1992 Games, followed immediately by Alan Budikusuma's gold in men's singles at the same Olympics. The Indonesian national badminton team, known as the Perisai Garuda (Garuda Shield), has won the Thomas Cup thirteen times between 1958 and 2022, more than any other nation except China. Indonesia won five consecutive Thomas Cup titles from 1970 to 1979, a record streak that lasted until China matched it decades later. Taufik Hidayat won Olympic gold in men's singles at Athens 2004, while the men's doubles pair of Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan took gold at Beijing 2008. The Djarum Badminton Club in Kudus, Central Java, founded in 1969, has operated as Indonesia's premier badminton training facility and has produced multiple world champions. The Istora Senayan arena in Jakarta, with a capacity of 7,166, has hosted numerous international badminton tournaments since its opening in 1961.
Rudy Hartono won the All England Open Badminton Championships eight times between 1968 and 1976, including seven consecutive titles from 1968 to 1974. This record stood as the most consecutive All England titles until Lee Chong Wei equaled it in the 2010s. Liem Swie King, nicknamed "King" by the badminton world, won the All England championship in 1978, 1979, and 1981, and was ranked world number one for much of the early 1980s. Susi Susanti held the world number one ranking in women's singles for 313 weeks between 1990 and 1996. The Indonesia Open, a Super Series Premier badminton tournament held annually in Jakarta since 1982, offers prize money exceeding one million US dollars and draws the world's top players. Indonesia's national badminton training center, Pelatnas, located in Jakarta, operates year-round with residential facilities for approximately 50 elite athletes.
Football attracts the largest spectator base of any sport in Indonesia, though international success has remained limited. The Indonesia national football team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals. The team won the AFC Asian Cup in 1938 as the Dutch East Indies, making it the first Asian team to win the tournament, though this occurred before Indonesian independence and the AFC's formal establishment in 1954. Persija Jakarta, founded in 1928, and Persib Bandung, established in 1933, represent Indonesia's two oldest and most supported football clubs, with their matches regularly drawing over 30,000 spectators to Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. The Liga 1, Indonesia's top professional football division, was established in 2008 and currently consists of 18 teams competing from May through December. The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) was founded on April 19, 1930, making it one of Asia's oldest football federations.
The Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, built in 1962 for the fourth Asian Games, holds 77,193 spectators and serves as Indonesia's national football stadium. Indonesia hosted the AFC Asian Cup in 2007, with matches held across Jakarta, Palembang, Surabaya, and Semarang. The national team's most recent Southeast Asian championship came in 2010 when Indonesia won the AFF Championship, defeating Malaysia 4-2 on aggregate in the final. Boaz Solossa, born in Sorong, Papua, scored 128 goals in Liga Indonesia between 2004 and 2021, the highest total in the league's professional era. Bambang Pamungkas scored 38 goals for the national team between 2001 and 2013, making him Indonesia's all-time leading international goalscorer. Indonesian football faces ongoing challenges with match-fixing scandals; FIFA suspended the PSSI in 2015, leading to a five-month ban on all sanctioned football activities in the country.
Pencak silat, the Indonesian martial art, holds status as a national cultural heritage and competitive sport. The Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) was established on May 18, 1948, in Surakarta. The World Pencak Silat Championship, held biennially since 1982, has been dominated by Indonesian athletes, who have won approximately 60 percent of all gold medals across the tournament's history. Pencak silat became a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, with Indonesia winning 14 gold medals in the 16 contested categories. The sport incorporates four competitive categories: tanding (sparring), tunggal (solo demonstration), ganda (pair demonstration), and regu (team demonstration). Each category follows distinct scoring systems administered by the International Pencak Silat Federation (PERSILAT), established in Jakarta in 1980. The Taman Mini Indonesia Indah complex in Jakarta houses a dedicated pencak silat training center that covers 2,500 square meters.
Sepak takraw, a sport native to Southeast Asia involving kicking a rattan ball over a net, maintains strong participation in Indonesia, though the country trails Thailand and Malaysia in international competition. Indonesia won its first Southeast Asian Games gold medal in sepak takraw at the 1987 games in Jakarta. The Indonesian Sepak Takraw Association (PSTI) was founded in 1985. Teams consist of three players on each side of a court measuring 13.4 by 6.1 meters, with a net height of 1.52 meters. The ball weighs between 170 and 180 grams with a circumference of 42 to 44 centimeters. Indonesia won three gold medals in sepak takraw at the 2018 Asian Games held on home soil. The sport originated from sepak raga, a traditional Indonesian game mentioned in historical texts from the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century.
Volleyball, both indoor and beach variants, draws significant participation at recreational and competitive levels. The Indonesian men's volleyball team has never qualified for the Olympics but competes regularly in the Asian Volleyball Confederation championships. The Proliga, Indonesia's professional volleyball league established in 2002, runs from January through April with separate men's and women's divisions, each containing 12 teams. Jakarta Pertamina Energi, a men's team sponsored by the state oil company, has won eight Proliga championships between 2003 and 2022. Beach volleyball gained prominence after Indonesia hosted the Asian Beach Games in 2008 in Bali. The women's beach volleyball pair of Dhita Juliana and Ni Putu Timy Yudhani represented Indonesia at the 2016 Rio Olympics, marking the country's first Olympic beach volleyball appearance.
Bulutangkis, the Indonesian term for badminton, functions as more than sport in national consciousness. When Susi Susanti won gold in Barcelona, President Suharto declared a national holiday. The victory occurred on August 4, 1992, Indonesia's Independence Day eve, amplifying its symbolic resonance. Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu's women's doubles gold at Tokyo 2020, won on August 2, 2021, gave Indonesia its first Olympic badminton gold in 13 years. The pair defeated China's Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan 21-19, 21-15 in the final. Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, born in Cimahi, West Java in 1996, reached world number three in men's singles in 2019 and won bronze at Tokyo 2020. Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, the world's top-ranked men's doubles pair for 113 consecutive weeks between 2017 and 2019, hold the record for longest continuous reign at number one in that category.
Traditional boat racing occurs across the Indonesian archipelago with regional variations. The pacu jalur races in Riau province use boats up to 40 meters long with crews of 60 rowers. These races take place annually along the Kampar River in July and August. The bidar races in South Kalimantan feature narrower boats approximately 25 to 30 meters in length with 40 to 50 paddlers. The Erau International Folk Art Festival in Tenggarong, East Kalimantan, includes bidar racing as a central competition, with races dating to the Kutai Sultanate period before Dutch colonization. Makassar's traditional boat races use sandeq boats, outrigger sailing vessels that can reach speeds of 15 to 20 knots. These races occur during the anniversary of Makassar city's founding each November.
Basketball has grown substantially in urban areas since the formation of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2003. The league operates with 14 teams competing from November through May. Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta has won the most IBL championships with six titles between 2011 and 2019. Indonesia's national basketball team ranks 91st in the FIBA World Rankings as of 2023 and has never qualified for the Olympics or FIBA World Cup. The team did win bronze at the Southeast Asian Games in 2011, defeating Thailand 83-73. The Indonesian basketball federation (Perbasi) was established on November 23, 1951. Aspac Jakarta, a women's basketball team, has won 11 consecutive national championships from 2011 to 2022. Most professional games occur at the Britama Arena in Jakarta, which holds 7,000 spectators for basketball configuration.
Rock climbing and mountaineering attract both domestic and international participants given Indonesia's volcanic topography. Mount Semeru in East Java, standing 3,676 meters, represents the highest peak in Java and sees approximately 2,000 climbing permits issued annually by Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park authorities. The standard route to Semeru's summit requires two days with an overnight camp at Ranu Kumbolo lake at 2,400 meters elevation. Puncak Jaya in Papua, at 4,884 meters, stands as Indonesia's highest mountain and Oceania's highest peak. The mountain, also called Carstensz Pyramid, requires technical climbing skills and climbing permits issued through Lorentz National Park authorities. The first documented ascent occurred in 1962 by an Austrian expedition led by Heinrich Harrer. Mount Kerinci in Jambi province, Sumatra, rises 3,805 meters and holds the title of highest volcano in Indonesia. The Kerinci Seblat National Park issues approximately 1,500 climbing permits annually for the two-day ascent.
Indonesia has produced limited success in Olympic sports beyond badminton. Weightlifter Eko Yuli Irawan has won four Olympic silver medals and one bronze medal across five Olympic Games from 2008 to 2021, competing in the 62kg and 61kg weight classes. He lifted a combined total of 302 kilograms at Tokyo 2020 to claim silver at age 32. Lifter Raema Lisa Rumbewas won silver in the women's 48kg category at Athens 2004. Indonesia's only other Olympic medals came from archery (two silver medals in team events in 1988) and beach volleyball (no medals but quarter-final appearances). The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) was founded in 1946 and gained IOC recognition in 1952. Indonesia first competed at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics with three athletes.
Motorcycle racing holds substantial spectator interest, concentrated on Indonesian riders competing in FIM World Championship series. Doni Tata won the 125cc Asia Road Racing Championship in 2008, becoming the first Indonesian to win a continental motorcycle racing title. Andi Gilang competed in the Moto3 World Championship from 2020 to 2022 but did not secure a podium finish. The Sentul International Circuit in Bogor, West Java, opened in 1993 with a 4.012-kilometer track configuration. The circuit hosted the 125cc and 250cc Grand Prix motorcycle races in 1996 and 1997, marking Indonesia's only years hosting World Championship motorcycle racing events. Indonesia hosted the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship rounds at Sentul in 2018, 2019, and 2022. The circuit draws approximately 30,000 spectators for major racing events.
Surfing benefits from Indonesia's position in the Indian Ocean with consistent swell patterns reaching southern coastlines. The Rip Curl Cup at Padang Padang Beach in Bali, held intermittently since 2004, operates on a waiting period system from June to August, activating only when waves reach 8 to 12 feet. The event offers prize money of 110,000 US dollars. Uluwatu in Bali, Desert Point in Lombok, and Lagundri Bay in Nias rank among the world's most recognized left-breaking waves. Nias sees average wave faces of 6 to 10 feet during the May to October season. Dede Suryana, born in Bali in 1992, became Indonesia's first professional surfer to qualify for the World Surf League Championship Tour, competing from 2013 to 2015. The Indonesian Surfing Association (PSOI) was established in 1979. Indonesia hosted the ISA World Surfing Games in Bali in 2008.
Traditional kite flying constitutes both recreation and organized competition. The Bali Kite Festival, held annually in Padang Galak, Sanur, occurs from July to October when southeastern winds provide optimal flying conditions. Kites in competition reach up to 10 meters in length with tail streamers extending 100 meters. Three traditional categories compete: bebean (fish-shaped), janggan (bird-shaped), and pecukan (leaf-shaped). Teams of 60 to 80 men work together to launch and control the largest kites. The festival began in its current organized form in 1979 under coordination from the Balinese government's tourism office. In Jakarta, kite fighting using abrasive string coated with powdered glass remains popular in kampung neighborhoods, though the practice was banned in 2007 due to injuries. The Jakarta Kite Museum in Pondok Labu, opened in 2003, houses over 600 kites from across Indonesia and 20 other countries.
Running events have proliferated in Indonesian cities since 2010. The Jakarta Marathon, established in 2013, draws approximately 25,000 participants across full marathon, half marathon, and shorter distances. The race starts and finishes at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium with a course through central Jakarta. The fastest times recorded stand at 2:13:40 for men and 2:38:27 for women, both set in 2019. Bali Marathon, first held in 2013, runs through rice terraces and coastal roads with the full marathon starting in Gianyar and finishing at Sanur Beach. Indonesia has not produced an Olympic-distance runner. Triyaningsih won bronze in the women's 10,000-meter walk at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin with a time of 43:18.61, representing Indonesia's only World Championships track and field medal.
Chess has gained institutional support through government sports programs. Susanto Megaranto became Indonesia's first chess grandmaster in 2004 at age 17. Indonesia has produced nine chess grandmasters as of 2023. Irene Kharisma Sukandar became Indonesia's first female grandmaster in 2013. The Indonesian Chess Championship has been held annually since 1953, with recent editions offering prize money near 10,000 US dollars. Indonesia competed in the Chess Olympiad for the first time in 1976 in Haifa. The men's team achieved its highest finish of 14th place at the 2016 Olympiad in Baku, while the women's team placed 13th at the 2018 Olympiad in Batumi. The Indonesian Chess Federation (Percasi) was established on September 16, 1950, in Yogyakarta.
Esports has grown into a commercial industry with professional teams and tournament infrastructure. EVOS Esports, founded in Jakarta in 2016, fields teams in Mobile Legends, PUBG Mobile, and Free Fire. The team won the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup in 2019 and 2021. Indonesia hosted the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup in 2022 at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition in Jakarta with prize money totaling 300,000 US dollars. The Indonesian Esports Association (IeSPA) received recognition from the Indonesian Olympic Committee in 2019. Esports appeared as a medal event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, with Indonesia winning gold in Arena of Valor and bronze in Clash Royale. The Bekasi Cyber Park in Bekasi, West Java, opened in 2019 as Indonesia's first dedicated esports facility with 500 seats.