Indonesia To Launch New Top-Flight Football League After Two Years Without One

Indonesia on Monday unveiled a new top-flight football league after two years without one, "seeking to draw a line under a crisis that engulfed the game in Southeast Asia’s biggest nation," according to the AFP. Liga 1 will kick off Saturday and replace the Indonesian Super League, which was halted in '15 "due to a row between the country’s sports ministry and football association." The dispute over who should compete in the super league "led to the collapse of the competition," and then to FIFA suspending Indonesia "over government meddling in a domestic association." Eighteen teams will compete in the new Liga 1, "which is sponsored by motorbike taxi app Go-Jek and travel website Traveloka, including Indonesia’s top clubs Persib Bandung and Arema" (AFP, 4/10).