Aceh – Indonesia, The hunt for tickets to the national stage is about to begin. The Indonesian Mini Football Committee (KSMI) of Aceh Province is preparing the Santri Championship 2026 in Banda Aceh as both a competition and a selection event to scout the best Islamic boarding school student (santri) team to represent Aceh nationally.
Preparations for the tournament were marked by the first executive meeting of KSMI Aceh in Banda Aceh on Saturday (3/10/2026). The meeting discussed several crucial agendas, particularly preparations for hosting the Santri Championship 2026, participant recruitment, selection mechanisms, and the readiness of the team to be sent as Aceh’s representatives to Depok, West Java.
The Chairman of KSMI Aceh, Muktarrudin Usman, SE., stated that the Santri Championship 2026 is an essential part of nurturing and scouting mini football talent among santri.
“We at KSMI Aceh will host the Santri Championship 2026 in Banda Aceh City. Ultimately, the winners will represent Aceh to compete in Depok, West Java, on October 28-31, 2026,” Muktarrudin said.
According to him, the Aceh provincial selection is scheduled for October 9-10, 2026. Given the tight timeline, the committee immediately moved to initiate preparations and candidate scouting.
KSMI Aceh will issue official letters to several dayahs and Islamic boarding schools across Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar to join the Santri Championship 2026. Participants will be given the opportunity to showcase their best abilities in mini football while upholding sportsmanship.
“We will soon invite the selection candidates. God willing, we will send out the letters this coming Monday,” he added.
Prior to kickoff, a technical meeting (TM) for participants is scheduled for Wednesday (7/10/2026) at the KSMI Aceh Secretariat. This meeting plays a key role in aligning technical understandings regarding matches, participants, and tournament regulations.
Through this selection process, KSMI Aceh will assemble the best squad to compete on the national stage in Depok. Thus, the Santri Championship 2026 serves not only as a tournament arena, but also as a gateway for young dayah talents to gain broader competitive experience.
This initial meeting also served as an early consolidation effort for the KSMI Aceh board. Committee members discussed task distributions and technical readiness to ensure the entire series of events runs smoothly and effectively.
On the same occasion, KSMI Aceh officially handed over organizational uniforms. The Chairman of KSMI Aceh, Muktarrudin Usman, presented the uniforms to the Secretary of KSMI Aceh, Muhammad Zubir, SH., MH., and the Treasurer of KSMI Aceh, Mariadi, ST., MM.
The uniform distribution forms part of strengthening solidarity and organizational identity within KSMI Aceh as they carry out their duties, including preparations for the Santri Championship 2026.
Muktarrudin expressed his hope that all committee members can work together to prepare for the competition. He also hopes the tournament will serve as a platform for santri to develop their skills, gain match experience, and expand their opportunities to achieve success through mini football.
“We want this competition to run well and with great sportsmanship. Most importantly, we want to find the best team to represent Aceh nationally,” he emphasized.
With the event approaching fast, KSMI Aceh is now finalizing all operational stages. Letters to dayahs and Islamic boarding schools will be sent out shortly, technical meetings are being prepared, and player and team selection processes are underway to ensure Aceh’s representatives are fully prepared to compete in Depok.
From Banda Aceh, the quest begins. The Santri Championship 2026 is expected to become the launching pad for Aceh’s mini football talents and their first step toward national-level competition. []