Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno stated that Indonesia has earned up to US$5 million or around Rp78.5 billion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp15,700 per US dollar) in just 3 days after the opening of the U-17 World Cup at Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Surabaya, on Friday (10/11).

Sandiaga is confident that this figure will continue to increase, including from other supporting sectors. "So, if we look at spending around US$1,000 to US$1,500, then our estimated total spending is between US$2 million to US$5 million from the team and its supporters. But the overall economic impact is much greater than this. That's just for the first 3 days," he said at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in Central Jakarta on Monday (13/11).

He mentioned that this is a historic moment for Indonesia, attracting global attention. Sandiaga referred to the players participating as potential future stars, successors to megastars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Therefore, Sandiaga encourages the Indonesian public to liven up this football event. He believes that the opportunity for Indonesia to host the U-17 World Cup will be rare in the coming years. "We are also preparing tourism packages not only for the teams but also for families, supporters, and fans after this World Cup, to extend their stay in Indonesia by visiting tourist destinations," he stated.

"We look at it not only in terms of the dollar amount (overall profit potential) but also the impact of empowering sports products, sports tourism, and the increasing interest of young people in delving into football. The impact is not only measured in rupiah in the next week or two, but this is an investment for the long term," emphasized Sandi.

There are 24 participants in the U-17 World Cup, following the format implemented by FIFA since 2007. The breakdown includes 5 representatives from Asia, 5 from Europe, 4 from South America, 4 from Central and North America, 4 from Africa, and 2 representatives from Oceania. The Indonesian U-17 national team is in Group A and will compete against Ecuador, Panama, and Morocco for a spot in the knockout stage.

The U-17 World Cup in Indonesia is being held in several cities, including Jakarta, Bandung, Solo, and Surabaya. The final match of this football tournament is scheduled to take place on December 2, 2023.