Dreams on Hold: Manjai Park Dispute Leaves Young Footballers Out of Nawettan for Second Year
For many young footballers in Manjai, Nawettan is more than a tournament. It is a chance to wear their team’s colours, compete before their community, showcase their talent and perhaps catch the attention of divisional league clubs that could change the course of their football careers.
However, for the second consecutive year, that opportunity has been lost as four Manjai teams stay out of the competition amid an ongoing dispute over the ownership and management of the park. The dispute between the Manjai Community and the Manjai Sports Association (MSA) is now before the Bundung High Court.
More in this feature report.
A Park Divided: Unresolved Manjai Park Ownership Casts Shadow Over 2026 Nawettan
After five Manjai teams boycotted the 2025 Nawettan Tournament, the ownership dispute over Manjai Park escalated into protests, with youths burning tyres and police making arrests at the start of the year. The standoff ultimately forced the closure of the park until May 2026. With no successor to the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the key stakeholders, the 2026 Nawettan now faces the risk of disruption as a legal suit is expected tomorrow.
More in this feature story.
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