NABIRE, CENTRAL PAPUA – Youth football development in Nabire, Central Papua, has gained a new platform through the Kapolda Cup I 2026 Mini Soccer Tournament. A total of 36 junior high school teams will take part in the competition, organized by the Central Papua Regional Police as an opportunity for students to develop their football skills and gain valuable competitive experience.
Central Papua Police Chief Brig. Gen. Pol. Jermias Rontini said sports, particularly football, can help build young people’s confidence while opening opportunities for them to achieve greater accomplishments.
He said the football field should not only serve as a place for competition but could also become the starting point for discovering talented young footballers from Nabire who have the potential to compete at the national level.
“My hope is that from this field, we will see children from Nabire grow into professional footballers and, one day, even wear the Indonesian national team jersey,” Jermias said in Nabire on Tuesday.
He expressed hope that the Kapolda Cup would not remain merely a one-time tournament but could develop into part of a sustainable sports development program. With more competitions available, students will have greater opportunities to sharpen their skills, develop their competitive mentality, and demonstrate their potential.
The Kapolda Cup I 2026 Mini Soccer Tournament is scheduled to begin on October 13 at the Nabire Police Water and Air Police Unit (Polairud) Field in Samabusa, Teluk Kimi District.
Chairman of the Kapolda Cup I 2026 Organizing Committee, Rexsi Y. Rumakiek, said the level of participation exceeded expectations. The initial target was 32 teams, but the final number of participating teams reached 36.
The participating schools are not limited to those located around the center of Nabire. Several teams are traveling considerable distances to take part in the competition.
SMP Negeri 1 Moor and SMP Negeri 1 Napan, for example, are traveling by speedboat to reach the tournament venue. Meanwhile, SMP Negeri 1 Yaur is traveling approximately 100 kilometers to participate in the competition.
“Their participation shows that children have a strong interest in football. They are not just coming with their teams, but they are bringing their dreams with them,” Rexsi said.
He said the high level of participation demonstrates the need for more competitive platforms where students can meet teams from other schools while gaining valuable experience through direct competition.
In addition to providing a competitive platform, the organizers have ensured that teams can participate without registration fees. Various awards have also been prepared as a form of appreciation for the participants’ achievements.
The organizers have prepared a rotating trophy, permanent trophies, medals, certificates, and a total of Rp76 million in development awards. The first-place team will receive Rp25 million, the second-place team Rp20 million, the third-place team Rp15 million, and the fourth-place team Rp10 million.
Individual awards will also be presented to the Best Player, Top Scorer, and Best Goalkeeper, with each recipient receiving Rp2 million in development funding.
Meanwhile, SMP Negeri 2 Nabire official Yosep Ohoiwutun welcomed the implementation of the Kapolda Cup I 2026. He said tournaments such as this provide students with an opportunity to develop their abilities while experiencing the atmosphere of competitive football.
He expressed hope that the Kapolda Cup could become a regular event so that youth football dev
