Sports in Indonesia have an interesting history. Native Indonesians used to play several sports during ancient times, like martial arts, Minang pacu jawi (bull racing), and Canoe and Kayak races to maintain their physical fitness as there was no concept of exercise back then. Archery was among the most classical sports, including Pencak Silat, a native martial art.
With all the history linked with sports, it is a major concept in the modern world and badminton is the most successful sport in the country without any doubt. Badminton and football were introduced during colonial times and continue to be one of the most prominent sports in the country. So let’s take a closer look at the Top 6 sports of Indonesia.
Badminton
Badminton is the most popular sport in the country and has a long history of success. Indonesia has given us the most prominent players in sports history like Rudy Hartono, Markis Kido, Mia Audina and Taufik Hidayat. The country’s record in the game has been outstanding as they have a number of titles to their name.
Indonesia has won gold medals in every single Olympics held since 1992. They bagged 14 Thomas Cup titles which is the most for any country. They hold many famous international Badminton tournaments like the Indonesia Masters and Indonesia Open. Players like Hendra Setiawan, an Olympic gold medalist have won every major title in the individual category in the sport.
Also Read: Indonesia Masters: Full List Of Winners At The Super 500 Event
Football
Football is the second most popular sport in Indonesia and has a significantly huge fan base. It is played on all levels, from children to adults. Liga 1 is their domestic league which has recently attracted visitors from every region. The Indonesian football team hasn’t won any major title yet, but they have improved a lot in recent years.
Their football team is known as Garuda and won a bronze medal in the Asian Games in 1958. They’ve qualified for the AFC Asian Cup five times and have been the runners-up in the ASEAN Championship six times. Their recent victory over Vietnam has improved their FIFA World Ranking which makes them closer to qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Some notable players include Jan Kok, Abdul Kadir who holds the record for the most goals for the national team (70), Elkan Baggot who has the highest FIFA rating among domestic players and Marselino Ferdinan who’s considered one of the best players of the upcoming generation.
Basketball
Basketball is becoming popular day by day in the country with the youth. Indonesia organises professional leagues like the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL), and nationally they have recently made record-breaking success. The national team’s biggest success was winning a gold medal in South East Asian Championship in 1996.
They were among the top-four teams in the Asian Basketball Championship in 1967 and grabbed a bronze medal at the 1999 SEA Games. Indonesia also co-hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup recently in 2023.
One of the most notable players of the national team is Mario Wuysang. He has won 6 championships in the NFL and two Most Valuable Player awards twice in IBL. Brandon Jawato is a young player who won Rookie of the Year for setting a record for most three-pointers made in a game. Kelly Purwanto and Isman Thoyib finished in the top ten steals and blocks, respectively, in the FIBA Championship 2009.
Volleyball
The men’s national team is ranked 51st in the world as of 2025. The team has won 12 gold medals in the SEA Games and 2 in the SEA V.League. They also secured a runner-up position in last year’s SEA V League.
Among the most valuable players are Dio Zulfikri and Hendra Kurniawan. The women’s team is also not behind, as they won bronze at the Asian Games in 1962 and silver at the Southeast Asian Games in 1977, 1979, 1981, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2017.
They also won gold in 1983 in the same tournament and recently finished as the top 11 in the Asian Challenge Cup 2024. Among notable players are Aprilia Manganang, Wilda Siti and Megawati Pertiwi.
Futsal
Futsal is a fast-paced indoor football game played in Indonesia, the Pro Futsal League (PFL) is the most prominent domestic league in the country. The national team has won the ASEAN Championship twice in 2023 and 2024.
They also finished second in the 4 Nations World Series in the current year. The most significant players in the game are Ronny Pattinasarany who is also a developer of Futsal in Indonesia and Abdul Kadir. Bambang Bayu has also achieved stardom in the sport and is a true inspiration for the upcoming generations.
Martial Arts
Indonesia has a history of martial arts, and it has been a traditional sport in the country since the native times. Pencak Silat is the most well-known form of the martial art known for its unique movements and self-defence methods.
Other martial arts forms like judo, taekwondo and karate are also popular. Other traditional martial arts practised by Indonesians are Kuntao, Tinju, Mekare-kare, Sitobo Lalang Lipa and Tarung Dejarat.
