Manahan Stadium

Manahan Stadium was officially inaugurated on 21 February 1998 by President Suharto, replacing older facilities as Solo's premier sporting venue. For two decades it served Persis Solo and the wider region, hosting Liga Indonesia fixtures, Piala Indonesia cup ties and assorted AFC and national-team matches on a traditional bowl with standing terraces.

The 2018–2020 transformation

Between 2018 and 2019 the stadium underwent a thorough revitalisation, reopening on 15 February 2020. Terraces gave way to single-seating, trimming capacity to about 20,000 while greatly improving comfort and safety, and new lighting, turf and security systems brought the ground to modern standards.

The upgrade quickly paid off. Manahan was selected as a venue for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, staging semi-finals and the final, and it also hosted the 2024 ASEAN Championship and earlier ASEAN Para Games events in 2011 and 2022. These appointments confirmed its status as one of Indonesia's go-to stadiums for major tournaments.

On a Persis Solo matchday, Manahan Stadium throbs with the energy of Pasoepati, one of Indonesia's most famous and fiercely loyal supporter groups. Clad in red, the fans fill the single-tier bowl with chants, drums, banners and tifo displays that turn the compact arena into a wall of noise from the first whistle.

Football at the heart of Solo

Solo is a deeply traditional Javanese city, home to royal courts, batik and refined court culture, and its football carries that same sense of identity and pride. Persis Solo is woven into the fabric of the city, and supporting the club is a communal ritual passed down through generations.

What gives Manahan its character:

• Pasoepati choreography and relentless terraces-turned-stands singing
• A close, modern bowl that keeps crowd noise tight and intense
• Big-match nights, from derbies to internationals, that draw the whole city

The blend of Javanese warmth and raucous fan passion makes Manahan a memorable place to watch a game.

Manahan Stadium sits in the Manahan district of Surakarta (Solo), on Adi Sucipto Street, a short distance northwest of the city centre and roughly 9 km from Adisumarmo International Airport. Its central location makes it one of the easier major Indonesian grounds to reach.

Getting there and matchday tips

• By air: Fly into Adisumarmo (SOC); the stadium is about 20–30 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing
• By rail: Solo Balapan station connects to Yogyakarta, Semarang and Jakarta; the ground is a short ride away
• Local transport: Batik Solo Trans buses, taxis and Gojek/Grab serve the complex
• Matchday: Arrive early for Persis fixtures, as Pasoepati crowds and road closures build quickly; wear red to blend in

Nearby

The Manahan complex itself offers a popular running track and weekend markets. Within Solo you can explore the Kasunanan and Mangkunegaran palaces, lively batik districts and the city's renowned street-food scene, making a match an easy add-on to a Central Java trip.