Liga 1

Season	2021–22
Dates	27 August 2021 – 31 March 2022
Champions	Bali United 2nd Liga 1 title 2nd Indonesian title
Relegated	Persipura Persela Persiraja
2022 AFC Cup[1]	Bali United PSM
Matches played	305
Goals scored	735 (2.41 per match)
Top goalscorer	Ilija Spasojević (23 goals)
Biggest home win	Bali United 5–0 Persiraja (30 November 2021) Persikabo 1973 5–0 Persiraja (9 December 2021)
Biggest away win	Persiraja 0–5 Persikabo 1973 (19 March 2022)
Highest scoring	Persik 4–2 Persipura (21 October 2021) Persib 4–2 PSS (22 October 2021) Persikabo 1973 4–2 Persela (27 November 2021) Persebaya 3–3 Persija (14 February 2022) Persela 2–4 Barito Putera (18 February 2022) Madura United 3–3 Barito Putera (9 March 2022) PSIS 3–3 Persita (20 March 2022) Persipura 4–2 PSS (20 March 2022)
Longest winning run	9 matches Bali United
Longest unbeaten run	23 matches Arema
Longest winless run	25 matches Persela
Longest losing run	6 matches Persipura
← 2020 2022–23 →

The 2021–22 Liga 1, also known as BRI Liga 1 for sponsorship reasons,^[2] was the 5th season of Liga 1 under its current name and the 12th season of the top-flight Indonesian professional league for association football clubs since its establishment in 2008. The season started on 27 August 2021.^[3] Bali United were the defending champions from the 2019 season after the 2020 season was abandoned and declared void after three matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 25 March 2022, Bali United succeeded in defending their title for the second consecutive season, after second-placed Persib drew against Persik, giving Bali United a 4-point lead with only one game left.^[4]

PSSI canceled the 2020 Liga 1 season after putting it under suspension twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first suspension was announced after finishing matchday three on 15 March 2020, two weeks after the government announced the first cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia. The initial suspension was only for two weeks but it was extended to 29 May 2020. However, the government blocked every attempt to resume the competition.^[5] On 27 June 2020, PSSI issued a decree to continue Liga 1 from October 2020.^[6]

After failing to obtain government and police permissions for the umpteenth time, PSSI on 29 September 2020 announced the second postponement of the 2020 season of Liga 1 and Liga 2. This time the initial suspension had a one-month period. After the end date was reached, PSSI on 29 October 2020 declared the 2020 football seasons could not be held in 2020. There was an attempt to resume the 2020 season in 2021. However, on 15 January 2021, PSSI decided to cancel the 2020 season of all football competitions and declared them void.^[7][8]

PSSI and PT LIB plan to hold the 2021 season in coordination with the Indonesian Police and other state agencies despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, the country with the most COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia. The original plan was to hold it from 11 June 2021 and finish on 11 March 2022. After months of debate, PSSI decided against eliminating the relegation and promotion system, an option that many cash-strapped clubs proposed. PSSI also changed the starting date to early July 2021. COVID-19 restrictions in many cities on Java island delayed the commencement to late August 2021.^[9][10]

In order to obtain government permission, PSSI and PT LIB themselves had to incorporate various COVID-19 restrictions for the 2021 season, including disallowing fans to be inside or outside the stadium before, during, and after matches. Only a maximum of 299 people, including players, coaches, team officials, security personnel, and special guests, are allowed to enter the stadium. In addition, all entrants are required to be tested, pass temperature checks, wear masks, and follow other health protocols. All players also must be fully vaccinated to be eligible to play. All matches are expected to be played on main island of Java to reduce contagion risks from air travel, leading to protests from non-Java teams that must relocate their base to a Java city.^[11][12]

As a simulation for the 2021 season, PSSI held the 2021 Menpora Cup as a pre-season tournament for the Liga 1 teams. The event was held as a reference in implementing health protocols so that government and police officials become convinced that professional football matches would not turn into super-spreader events.^[13]

Cognizant of the fluctuating situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, PSSI and PT LIB decided the league format will be divided into six series that consider the infection levels across Java island. Each series will cover 45-54 matches (five to six matchdays) played in multiple designated regions to ensure no club will play in their home grounds. The venues can change days ahead of schedule if certain regions are deemed as COVID-19 red zones or violations to COVID-19 rules occurred at a specific stadium.^[14]

The first series (six matchdays) will be held in the provinces of Banten, West Java, and DKI Jakarta with six stadiums (Benteng Taruna Stadium, Pakansari Stadium, Patriot Stadium (Indonesia), Wibawa Mukti Stadium, Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium and Jalak Harupat Stadium). The second series is planned to be held in the provinces Central Java and Special Region of Yogyakarta with five stadiums (Jatidiri Stadium, Citarum Stadium, Manahan Stadium, Maguwoharjo Stadium and Sultan Agung Stadium). The third series is planned to entirely run in East Java province but in different nine stadiums (Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Gelora 10 November Stadium, Kanjuruhan Stadium, Gajayana Stadium, Surajaya Stadium, Petrokimia Stadium, Gelora Delta Stadium, Brawijaya Stadium, Gelora Bangkalan Stadium).^[15]

The fourth and fifth series will be held in Bali with limited supporters in four stadiums (Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium (Gianyar), Ngurah Rai Stadium (Denpasar), Kompyang Sujana Stadium (Denpasar), and Samudra Stadium (Badung)), before the sixth and last series is planned to take place at venues in the kick-off series in the provinces of Banten, West Java, and DKI Jakarta.^[16]

Eighteen teams are competing in the league – all teams retained from the scrapped 2020 season.

• In early 2020, TIRA-Persikabo changed its name to Persikabo 1973.^[17][18]
• In late 2020, Bhayangkara relocated to Surakarta from Jakarta and changed its name to Bhayangkara Solo.^[19] However, the changes were annulled, according to PSSI in its 2021 annual congress.^[20]

Arema

Bali United

Barito Putera

Bhayangkara

Borneo

Madura United

Persebaya

Persela

Persib

Persija

Persik

Persikabo

Persipura

Persiraja

Persita

PSIS

PSM

PSS

class=notpageimage|

Original locations of the 2021 Liga 1 teams

Notes:

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and coaches may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team	Head Coach	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt Sponsor(s)
Arema	Eduardo Almeida	Johan Alfarizi	SEA[26]	Vidio1, The Legion Nutrition1, MS Glow for Men1, Indomie1, Panca Persada Medika2, Torabika Duo3
Bali United	Stefano Cugurra	Fadil Sausu	Mills[27]	Indofood1, Smartfren1, Wuling1, Buana Capital1, YCAB Foundation1, AdaKami1, Alderon1, OVO1, KukuBima Ener-G!1, Bank Ina1, Indomie2, Intersport2, CBN Fiber2, MS Glow for Men3, Vidio3
Barito Putera	Rahmad Darmawan[28]	Rizky Pora	Made by club	Hasnur Group1, Maming Enam Sembilan1
Bhayangkara	Paul Munster	Awan Setho	Mills[29]	BNI1, Envi1, Gojek2, Go-Pay2, Viral Blast Global2, Jasa Raharja3, Extra Joss3
Borneo	Ahmad Amiruddin (caretaker)	Javlon Guseynov	Etams[30]	Ansaf1, CRK1, Mr. Cuanisasi1, Extra Joss2, Energi Borneo Timur3
Madura United	Fábio Lefundes[31]	Fachrudin Aryanto	XTen[32]	Integra Group1, Kangean Energy Indonesia1, KukuBima Ener-G!1, POJUR1, Viral Blast Global2
Persebaya	Aji Santoso	Rachmat Irianto	AZA[33][34]	Kapal Api1, Vidio1, Extra Joss1, Pansaka1, Go-Pay2, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya2, MPM Honda Distributor3, The Legion Nutrition3
Persela	Vacant	Dwi Kuswanto	Adhoc[35]	So Nice1, BeliKopi1, Extra Joss2
Persib	Robert Alberts	Supardi Nasir	Sportama[36]	Indofood1, Mobil1, Permata Bank Syariah1, Halodoc1, Pria Punya Selera1, Intersport1, Kopi ABC2, Envi3, Didimax3, Indomie3
Persija	Sudirman[37]	Andritany Ardhiyasa	Juara[38]	Amman Mineral1, KukuBima Ener-G! C-10001, Indomie1, Amindo Prima Sejahtera1, Anargya Aset Manajemen2, Viral Blast Global2
Persik	Javier Roca[39]	Andri Ibo	Noij[40]	Extra Joss2, Harmoni Kediri3
Persikabo 1973	Liestiadi[41]	Manahati Lestusen[a]	Adhoc[42]	SBOTOP12, Extra Joss3
Persipura	Alfredo Vera[43]	Ian Kabes	SPECS	Freeport Indonesia1, KukuBima Ener-G!1, Bank Papua1, SIMANJA2, Kartu Debit Persipura2
Persiraja	Sérgio Alexandre[44]	Mukhlis Nakata	Adhoc[45]	Extra Joss1, Dek Gam Foundation1, PDAM Tirta Daroy1, Mifa Bersaudara1, JRG Rahayu Shuttle2, Ujong Neubok Dalam3
Persita	Widodo C. Putro	Agung Prasetyo	Made by club[46]	Palang Merah Indonesia1, Matrix Broadband1, Indomilk1, Moya1, Krating Daeng2, Indomie2, SOS Children's Villages Indonesia2, Aetra Tangerang3
PSIS	Dragan Đukanović[47]	Wallace Costa	RIORS[48][49]	Charlie Hospital1, Baja Indoraya1, Indomie1, DBAsia.news1, Extra Joss2, Pelindo III2
PSM	Joop Gall[50]	Zulkifli Syukur	Ewako PSM![51]	Honda1, Kalla Group1, KukuBima Ener-G!3
PSS	I Putu Gede[52]	Bagus Nirwanto	SMBD[53]	Bank Mandiri1, Ace of News1, Indomie1, SKS Ready Mix1, Haji Tjandra Racing Team1, Viral Blast Global2

Notes:

1. ^ On the front of shirt.
2. ^ On the back of shirt.
3. ^ On the sleeves.
4. ^ On the shorts.

Additionally, SPECS made referee kits and also supplied the match ball, the Illuzion II.^[54]

Captaincy changes:

Team	Outgoing coach	Manner of departure	Date of vacancy	Week	Table	Incoming coach	Date of appointment
PSM	Bojan Hodak	Signed by Kuala Lumpur City	9 January 2021[55]	Pre-season		Syamsudin Batola (caretaker)	7 March 2021[56]
Persik	Budi Sudarsono	Contract expired	10 February 2021[57]			Joko Susilo	11 March 2021[58]
Arema	Carlos Oliveira	Contract expired	17 February 2021[59]			Eduardo Almeida	3 May 2021[60]
Persela	Nil Maizar	Contract expired	23 February 2021[61]			Iwan Setiawan	2 June 2021[62]
Persija	Sudirman	Demoted to assistant coach	26 April 2021[63]			Angelo Alessio	11 June 2021[64]
PSM	Syamsudin Batola (caretaker)	End of caretaker role	8 July 2021			Milomir Šešlija	8 July 2021[65]
PSIS	Dragan Đukanović	Resigned	10 August 2021[66]			Imran Nahumarury (caretaker)	10 August 2021[66]
Borneo	Mario Gómez	Resigned	16 September 2021[67]	3	5	Ahmad Amiruddin (caretaker)	16 September 2021[67]
PSIS	Imran Nahumarury (caretaker)	End of caretaker role	17 September 2021[68]	3	4	Ian Gillan	17 September 2021[68]
Borneo	Ahmad Amiruddin (caretaker)	End of caretaker role	3 October 2021	6	9	Risto Vidaković	3 October 2021[69]
Persik	Joko Susilo	Sacked	3 October 2021[70]	6	16	Alfiat (caretaker)	3 October 2021
Persiraja	Hendri Susilo	Sacked	27 October 2021[71]	9	18	Akhyar Ilyas (caretaker)	27 October 2021[72]
Madura United	Rahmad Darmawan	Sacked	9 November 2021[73]	11	14	Fábio Lefundes	15 November 2021[31]
Persik	Alfiat (caretaker)	End of caretaker role	11 November 2021[39]	11	15	Javier Roca	11 November 2021[39]
PSIS	Ian Gillan	Became technical director	15 November 2021[74]	11	4	Imran Nahumarury	15 November 2021[74]
Persipura	Jacksen F. Tiago	Sacked	19 November 2021[75]	12	17	Alfredo Vera	21 November 2021[43]
Persikabo 1973	Igor Kriushenko	Sacked	23 November 2021[76]	13	12	Liestiadi	25 November 2021[41]
PSM	Milomir Šešlija	Sacked	25 November 2021[77]	13	10	Syamsudin Batola (caretaker)	25 November 2021[77]
Persela	Iwan Setiawan	Sacked	29 November 2021[78]	14	15	Ragil Sudirman (caretaker)	29 November 2021[79]
Barito Putera	Djadjang Nurdjaman	Sacked	14 December 2021[80]	17	15	Rahmad Darmawan	31 December 2021[28]
PSIS	Imran Nahumarury	Resigned	18 December 2021[81]	17	6	Dragan Đukanović	27 December 2021[47]
PSS	Dejan Antonić	Sacked	19 December 2021[82]	17	11	I Putu Gede	20 December 2021[52]
Persela	Ragil Sudirman (caretaker)	End of caretaker role	20 December 2021	17	16	Jafri Sastra	20 December 2021[83]
PSM	Syamsudin Batola (caretaker)	End of caretaker role	29 December 2021	17	12	Joop Gall	29 December 2021[50]
Persiraja	Akhyar Ilyas (caretaker)	End of caretaker role	2 January 2022	17	18	Sérgio Alexandre	2 January 2022[44]
Persija	Angelo Alessio	Sacked	19 January 2022[84]	20	8	Sudirman	20 January 2022[37]
Borneo	Risto Vidaković	Resigned	20 January 2022[85]	20	7	Fakhri Husaini	22 January 2022[86]
Persela	Jafri Sastra	Resigned	21 February 2022[87]	27	17	Ragil Sudirman	21 February 2022
Borneo	Fakhri Husaini	Sacked	26 March 2022[88]	34	6	Ahmad Amiruddin (caretaker)	26 March 2022

PSSI restricts the number of foreign players to four per team with one of them must come from an association member from the Asian Football Confederation. Teams can use all the foreign players at once.

• 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.

Team	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3	Asian Player	Former Player(s)
Arema	Adilson Maringá[89]	Carlos Fortes[90]	Sérgio Silva[91]	Renshi Yamaguchi[89]
Bali United	Éber Bessa[92]	Willian Pacheco	Privat Mbarga[93]	Brwa Nouri	Melvin Platje[94]
Barito Putera	Bruno Matos[95]	Rafael Silva[96]	Renan Alves[95]	Kim Jin-sung[97]	Cássio[98] Aleksandar Rakić[98] Rafinha[95] Azamat Baimatov[95]
Bhayangkara	Anderson Salles	Ezechiel N'Douassel	Melvin Platje[99]	Lee Yoo-joon	Renan Silva[100]
Borneo	Jonathan Bustos[101]	Torres[102]	Kei Hirose[103]	Javlon Guseynov	Nuriddin Davronov[104]
Madura United	Jaimerson	Jajá	Renan Silva[105]	Hong Jeong-nam[106]	Rafael Silva[107] Kim Jin-sung[108]
Persebaya	Bruno Moreira[109]	Arsenio Valpoort[110]	Alie Sesay[111]	Taisei Marukawa[112]	Jose Wilkson[100]
Persela	Demerson	Guilherme Batata	Jose Wilkson[113]	Selwan Al-Jaberi[114]	Ivan Carlos[115] Jabar Sharza[116]
Persib	Bruno Cantanhede[117]	David da Silva[118]	Nick Kuipers	Mohammed Rashid[119]	Geoffrey Castillion[118] Wander Luiz[120]
Persija	Marko Šimić	Marco Motta	Makan Konaté[121]	Rohit Chand	Yann Motta[122]
Persik	Arthur Silva[123]	Dionatan Machado[124]	Youssef Ezzejjari[123]	Marwin Angeles[125]	Ibrahim Bahsoun[126]
Persikabo 1973	Sergey Pushnyakov[127]	Ciro Alves	Aleksandar Rakić[128]	Veniamin Shumeyko[129]	Danin Talović[128]
Persipura	Ramiro Fergonzi[130]	Hedipo[131]	Yevhen Bokhashvili[132]	Takuya Matsunaga	Henrique Motta[133]
Persiraja	Bruno Dybal[134]	Léo Lelis[135]	Paulo Henrique[136]	Jabar Sharza[116]	Shori Murata[137] Vanja Marković[138]
Persita	Harrison Cardoso[139]	Taylon Correa[140]	Bae Sin-yeong[141]		Adam Mitter[142] Alex Gonçalves Nuriddin Davronov[143]
PSIS	Flávio Beck[144]	Wallace Costa	Chevaughn Walsh[145]	Jonathan Cantillana	Brian Ferreira[146] Bruno Silva[147]
PSM	Adam Mitter[148]	Anco Jansen[149]	Wiljan Pluim	Golgol Mebrahtu[150]	Bektur Talgat Uulu[150] Šerif Hasić[148]
PSS	Juninho[151]	Wander Luiz[152]	Mario Maslać[153]	Aaron Evans	Nemanja Kojić[154]

Rank	Player	Team	Goals[157]
1	Ilija Spasojević	Bali United	23
2	Carlos Fortes	Arema	20
	Ciro Alves	Persikabo 1973
4	Youssef Ezzejjari	Persik	18
5	Taisei Marukawa	Persebaya	17
6	Francisco Torres	Borneo	15
7	Marko Šimić	Persija	14
8	Rafael Silva	Madura United/Barito Putera	11
	Ezechiel N'Douassel	Bhayangkara
	Samsul Arif	Persebaya
	Dimas Drajad	Persikabo 1973
	Wander Luiz	Persib/PSS

Player	For	Against	Result	Date
Ciro Alves	Persikabo 1973	Persela	4–2 (H)	27 November 2021
		Persiraja	5–0 (H)	9 December 2021
Samsul Arif	Persebaya	Persikabo 1973	3–2 (A)	10 January 2022
Ciro Alves	Persikabo 1973	Persiraja	5–0 (A)	19 March 2022

• Most yellow card(s): 11^[157]
  • Marc Klok (Persib)
  • Manahati Lestusen (Persikabo 1973)
• Most red card(s): 2^[157]
  • Ezechiel N'Douassel (Bhayangkara)
  • Akbar Hermawan (Persela)

Month	Coach of the Month		Player of the Month		Young Player of the Month		Goal of the Month		Ref.
	Coach	Club	Player	Club	Player	Club	Player	Club
September	Imran Nahumarury	PSIS	Ilija Spasojević	Bali United	Bagas Kaffa	Barito Putera	Irsyad Maulana	Persita	[158]
October	Aji Santoso	Persebaya	Taisei Marukawa	Persebaya	Alfriyanto Nico	Persija	Carlos Fortes	Arema	[159]
November	Eduardo Almeida	Arema	Adam Alis	Bhayangkara	Bagas Kaffa	Barito Putera	Marselino Ferdinan	Persebaya	[160]
December	Aji Santoso	Persebaya	Taisei Marukawa	Persebaya	Marselino Ferdinan	Persebaya	Marko Šimić	Persija	[161][162]
January	Eduardo Almeida	Arema	Teja Paku Alam	Persib			Ciro Alves	Persikabo 1973	[163]
February	Rahmad Darmawan	Barito Putera	Samsul Arif	Persebaya	Bagas Kaffa	Barito Putera	Carlos Fortes	Arema	[164]

Award	Winner	Club
Best Player	Taisei Marukawa	Persebaya
Best Coach	Aji Santoso
Best Young Player	Marselino Ferdinan
Best Goal	Carlos Fortes	Arema
Fair Play Team	Madura United
Best Referee	Thoriq Alkatiri

Team of the Season
Goalkeeper	Teja Paku Alam (Persib)
Defenders	Bagas Kaffa (Barito Putera)			Alie Sesay (Persebaya)			Sérgio Silva (Arema)			Johan Alfarizi (Arema)
Midfielders	Taisei Marukawa (Persebaya)				Brwa Nouri (Bali United)				Éber Bessa (Bali United)
Forwards	Ciro Alves (Persikabo 1973)				Ilija Spasojević (Bali United)				Samsul Arif (Persebaya)

• 2021–22 Liga 2
• 2021–22 Liga 3