Bali United’s record 16,000 crowd marred by Rp60m firecracker fine
Bali United began the 2026/27 BRI Super League with a 2–1 home win over PSS Sleman in Gianyar, drawing a sell-out crowd of 16,000 at Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium and an attendance record.
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 4 min read
Gianyar — — Bali United opened the 2026/27 BRI Super League season with a 2–1 home win over PSS Sleman at Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Gianyar on 4 September 2026, in front of a sell-out crowd of around 16,000 spectators.
The fixture, played on a Friday, was described by Indonesian sports outlet Liputan6 as marking the return of a “riuh” or vibrant atmosphere at the Gianyar venue, with all 16,000 tickets for the match sold. Bali.live reported that the attendance filled nearly 89 percent of the stadium’s capacity and constituted an all‑time record for Bali United’s home arena, surpassing a previous mark of 10,868 spectators set against Persib Bandung in January 2025.
According to Bali United’s 2–1 victory report compiled by IDN Times, the home side’s goals came from Teppei Yachida, who converted the first penalty of the new Super League season in the 40th minute, and Queven Inacio in the 66th minute. PSS Sleman’s reply was scored by Melvyn Lorenzen late in the second half. The result was described as a hard‑fought win under Dutch head coach Johnny Jansen, with Bali United playing an aggressive, fast‑transition style.
Record crowd and return of visiting fans
Bali.live, which covered the opener as a milestone for Balinese football, wrote that the 16,000‑strong attendance was “an all-time attendance record” for the club’s home stadium, with the stands almost 89 percent full. A Russian-language version of the same report on Baliforum repeated that the match “already went down in the history of Balinese football” due to the crowd size and noted that the previous record of 10,868 spectators dated from a domestic league match against Persib Bandung in January 2025.
The Bali.live coverage also highlighted the presence of visiting supporters from Sleman, stating that the match marked the first official admission of away fans in nearly four years, and that several thousand PSS Sleman fans travelled to Bali for the game. Indonesian media likewise noted the strong support for both teams, with Liputan6 reporting that the stadium “kembali riuh” as the Super League season began.
Rp60 million disciplinary fine for firecracker
The record-setting evening was marred by a pyrotechnics incident in the stands. Bali.live reported that in the 82nd minute a firecracker was set off in the supporters’ section, prompting an immediate response from the PSSI Disciplinary Committee and a financial sanction of 60 million rupiah for Bali United.
Multiple Indonesian outlets later confirmed the sanction and the details of the ruling. BolaSport, citing the official results of a disciplinary hearing held on 8 September 2026, reported that Bali United were fined Rp60 million for “penyalaan 1 buah petasan” (ignition of one firecracker) in the north stand’s eastern side at minute 82 during the match against PSS Sleman. The article states that the penalty was imposed under Article 70 paragraphs (1) and (2) and Annex 1 point 5 of the 2025 PSSI Disciplinary Code.
A report by Warta Banjar, summarising the same decision, likewise noted that the PSSI Disciplinary Committee sanction for Bali United consisted of a Rp60 million fine due to the ignition of a firecracker in the Bali United vs PSS Sleman match at minute 82, and cited the same legal provisions.
Another national sports outlet, Bola.com, also reported that the committee imposed a Rp60 million fine on Bali United for the firecracker incident in the 82nd minute of the match, referencing the relevant articles of the PSSI code.
Club and coach urge compliance with regulations
In follow‑up coverage, Detik Bali reported that head coach Johnny Jansen responded to the sanction by stressing that while he appreciated the passionate atmosphere created by supporters, the use of pyrotechnics is prohibited and carries serious consequences for the club. According to Detik, Jansen urged fans to comply with stadium regulations so the team can enjoy strong home support without further disciplinary issues.
Local media such as Warta Banjar also noted that despite the financial penalty, Bali United are looking ahead to their next home match against Isen Mulang Kalteng FC, with hopes of maintaining high attendance figures while avoiding further violations of PSSI’s disciplinary rules.
Sources
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