The 2017 Liga 1, also known as Go-JekTraveloka Liga 1 for sponsorship reasons,[1] was the inaugural season of Liga 1 under its current name and the 8th season of the top-flight Indonesian professional league for association football clubs since its establishment in 2008.[2] It was the first official professional league season held post-FIFA sanction. The season started on 15 April 2017 and ended on 12 November 2017. Fixtures for the 2017 season were announced on 11 April 2017.[3]
In December 2016, PSSI and the league operator planned to use foreign referees for the 2017 competition. The use of foreign referee was intended to improve the quality of the competition.[6] However, two weeks before the league starts, this plan was cancelled.[7]
After a wide criticism, protest and dissatisfaction towards the local referees during the first round of the season,[8][9] PSSI revisited the idea. On 18 July 2017, PSSI and the league operator officially announced the use of foreign referees and assistant referees in select matches for the second round.[10] There were two sets of officials (consisted of 1 referee and 2 assistant referees), each coming from Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, and Japan.[11]
Player regulation
League operator also introduced several new regulations, such as requiring clubs to contract a minimum of five U-23 local players with three of them having to play as starting lineup minimum of 45 minutes in a match, restricting clubs to have more than two players older than 35 years old, and increasing the maximum number of substitutions to five for each team in a match.[12]
On 30 July 2017, in preparation for the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, all regulations concerning under-23 players were suspended.[13] Later on 31 August 2017, PSSI decided to extend the suspension of all regulations concerning under-23 players until end of season.[14]
Substitution rule
FIFA approved the five substitution rule on 12 April 2017.[15][16] However, the two additional substitutions (in addition of three substitutions, in accordance to FIFA Laws of the Game) were only allowed for U-23 players.[16]
Teams
Eighteen teams competed in the league – all teams from the abandoned 2015 Indonesia Super League. As such, no promoted team competed this season.
Name changes
Arema Cronus changed name to Arema before the start of the season.[17]
Pusamania Borneo changed name to Borneo before the start of the season.[18]
^Arema held several of their home matches at Gajayana.
^Bhayangkara —owned by Indonesian National Police— moved their home base to Patriot Candrabhaga and stated their move was intended to make them closer to the National Police Headquarters, located in Jakarta.[19]
^Madura United held several of their home matches at Gelora Bangkalan.
^Persib used Gelora Bandung Lautan Api as their home stadium in the first round before they decided to move to Si Jalak Harupat in the second round.[20]
^Persiba was temporarily use Gajayana as their home ground because their actual ground, Parikesit that owned by state-owned oil company Pertamina, was going to be demolished to make way for their oil refinery expansion as their newly-built replacement, Batakan, was still under construction and won't be ready until June.[21][22][23] Later, Pertamina allowed Persiba to use Parikesit in June.[24] After a round of negotiation, Persiba extended this permission and continue to use Parikesit until Batakan was ready and pass the verification.[25]
^Persija moved their home base to Patriot Candrabhaga because their regular ground, Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta was renovated for the upcoming 2018 Asian Games and was unavailable for the rest of the season.[26]
^Sriwijaya moved their home base to Bumi Sriwijaya starting from week 26 because Gelora Sriwijaya was renovated for the upcoming 2018 Asian Games and was unavailable for the rest of the season.[27]
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and coaches may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Players name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window.
Former Player(s) were players that out of squad or left club within the season, after pre-season transfer window, or in the mid-season transfer window, and at least had one appearance.
^ abHead-to-head results: Bali United 1–3 Bhayangkara; Bhayangkara 3–2 Bali United.
^Bhayangkara failed to obtain an AFC license to participate in Asian competitions. As a result, Bali United, the league runners-up, entered the qualifying play-offs.[88]
^PSM failed to obtain an AFC license to participate in Asian competitions. As a result, Persija, the league 4th place, entered the group stage.[88]
^Madura United were deducted three points due to FIFA sanction. Madura United would have qualified for the AFC Cup group stage had Bali United qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage. As Bali United failed to qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage, Madura United's qualification in the AFC Cup was annulled.
Source: Go-Jek Traveloka Liga 1[dead link], Soccerway Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win. For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants. Notes:
^Borneo hosted Persib at Mulawarman due to sanctions by PSSI Disciplinary Committee after a referee was intimidated following a match against Bali United.[89]
^Borneo hosted Persiba at Mulawarman due to sanctions by PSSI Disciplinary Committee after a referee was intimidated following a match against Bali United.[89]
^PSSI Disciplinary Committee declared Mitra Kukar lost 3–0 to Bhayangkara because they played a player being suspended under a Disciplinary Committee punishment. The original score was 1–1.[90]
^Choirul Huda died during the match after colliding with a teammate while attempting to collect a ball.[93]
^Perseru hosted Bali United at Kapten I Wayan Dipta because Marora was not approved by PSSI to hold nighttime matches.[94]
^Perseru hosted Persija at Patriot Candrabaga because Marora was not approved by PSSI to hold nighttime matches.[95]
^Perseru hosted PS TNI at Pakansari because Marora was not approved by PSSI to hold nighttime matches.[96]
^Persija hosted Persib at Manahan after Bekasi city police refused them to hold a home game at Patriot Candrabhaga.[97] The match between Persija and Persib stopped in 83' due to dissatisfaction with the referee when Persija was leading 1–0; Persija declared won 3–0.[98]
^Persija hosted Sriwijaya at Wibawa Mukti and without spectators due to fan riots that occurred at the Patriot Candrabhaga.[99]
^PS TNI hosted Persipura at Patriot Candrabaga because Pakansari was being renovated for the 2018 Asian Games.[100]