Malang, en.SERU.co.id – The MilkLife Soccer Challenge 2026 Series 2 wrapped up successfully in Malang, with the grand final held at Stadion Gajayana on Sunday, May 24. The tournament, which blends fierce competition with the pure joy of playing, crowned new champions in the Under-12 and Under-10 girls’ categories.
SDN Lowokwaru 3 dominated the U-12 final, defeating SDN 3 Pandanlandung 3-0. Star performer Adelice Maureen Hanum Faisal stole the show with a hat-trick and finished the entire tournament as top scorer with an impressive 36 goals.
In the U-10 final, SDN Tulungrejo 02 from Kota Batu clinched the title after beating SDN Tunjungsekar 3 Malang 3-1. The victory marked a significant leap for the team, which only reached the quarterfinals in the first series.
The event drew an outstanding 2,162 young athletes from 12 cities across Indonesia. In Malang alone, participation grew from 1,918 players and 120 schools in the previous series to 2,161 players and 122 schools this time around.
Teddy Tjahjono, Director of the MilkLife Soccer Program at Bakti Olahraga Djarum Foundation, expressed pride in the growing momentum. He highlighted strong enthusiasm in cities like Malang, Surabaya, Kudus, Semarang, Solo, Jogja, Jakarta, Bandung, and Bekasi.
“We see incredible enthusiasm in cities that are now in their third year, like Kudus. We are committed to consistently running this program because it’s clearly making a real impact on grassroots girls’ football,” Teddy said.
The best teams from each regional series will now advance to the national finals in June at Stadion Super Soccer Arena in Kudus. For players who age out of the elementary school category (12+), Djarum Foundation has prepared the Hydro Coco Soccer program as a continuation pathway to ensure talent development doesn’t stop.
German coach Timo Scheunemann, who served as head coach for the competition, emphasized that events like this are crucial for building Indonesia’s future women’s national team.
“We can’t talk about national success without strong foundations at the grassroots level. This tournament gives young girls a competitive yet enjoyable environment where their talent can flourish,” Coach Timo said.
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He stressed the importance of keeping the focus on joy rather than pressure.
“Parents and teachers shouldn’t overload the kids with winning targets. If they fall in love with the game, they’ll train hard on their own. That’s how you build tough players,” he added.
Coach Timo also praised schools collaborating with local football academies (SSB) to sharpen basic skills such as passing, ball control, and positioning.
Rochman Hadi, a member of PSSI Malang’s Executive Committee for Competitions, welcomed the success, saying he was proud to see local teams performing strongly and hoping the tournament continues to serve as a talent pipeline for Indonesian women’s football.
Adelice Maureen Hanum Faisal, the standout player of the tournament, shared her happiness after the final: “All the hard training and balancing schoolwork paid off. These goals are for my parents who always support me.”
Meanwhile, Tri Cahyo Suseno, coach of champions SDN Tulungrejo 02, revealed that mental preparation was key for his team from the highland area of Batu.
“Their physical condition is already strong because they’re used to training at altitude. We just had to make sure they stayed focused and confident on the field,” he said.
The MilkLife Soccer Challenge continues to grow as a vital platform for discovering and nurturing young female football talent across Indonesia. (dik/mzm)
