WA State Team vs Persebaya: 'Introducing Surabaya football culture to Australia'

Football West will host Indonesia's Liga 1 team, Persebaya Surabaya and dozens of it's supporters, Bonek, in a game in Perth this week.

Men’s WA State Team will host a friendly game against top Indonesian professional side Persebaya Surabaya at the Sam Kerr Football Centre in Queens Park, 9 July 2025. Credit: Supplied/Football West

The international match between the Western Australia State Team against Persebaya Surabaya will be played at the Sam Kerr Football Centre in Western Australia on 9 July 2025.

The best soccer players in the state will face off against Indonesia's Liga 1 team in an event also referred to as marking 35 years of sister-state relations between Western Australia and East Java, with Surabaya as its capital city.

SBS Indonesian interviewed representatives from both sides ahead of the match, namely Jamie Harnwell, CEO of Football West which is the governing body of football in Western Australia, and Azrul Ananda, CEO of Persebaya Surabaya.

Football West's CEO Jamie Harnwell (L), Persebaya Suarabaya's CEO Azrul Ananda (R). Credit: Supplied/Football West/Persebaya

“I think Australia is, in a sporting context, one of the best in the world,” Persebaya's CEO Azrul Ananda said.

"How [the country] with not that many of population but its achievements on a world level are incredible. That means Australia is doing something right and we can certainly learn a lot from it.”

According to Mr Ananda, this is the first time an Indonesian professional club conducting a training and a match in Australia that are not related to any competitions.

“It's totally our own initiative, a collaboration initiative with the Australian side,” he said.

Men's WA State Team's head coach Ian Ferguson, captain Aryn Williams and Football West General Manager – Football David Lewis. Credit: Supplied/Football West

The match is also part of Football West's partnership with Persebaya, marked by the signing of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December 2024, with commitment to player development and exchange programs.

Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell said they were delighted to welcome their close colleague from Surabaya back to Perth and had been fortunate with the involvement of former Perth Glory coach, Ian Ferguson, in the team.

“The players have enjoyed the training sessions, they've been very intense and everyone is trying to put their hand up to be in that starting eleven,” said Mr Harnwell.

We want to introduce Surabaya football culture there.

Azrul Ananda, CEO of Persebaya Surabaya

Meanwhile, Mr Ananda said he also brought a group of Persebaya supporters, known as Bonek (Bondo Nekat), adding that their supporters were “different from other supporters”.

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