When first opened prior to the 1962 Asian Games, the stadium had a seating capacity of 110,000. It has been reduced twice during renovations: first to 88,306 in 2006 for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and then to 77,193 single seats as part of renovations for the 2018 Asian Games and Asian Para Games, where it hosted the ceremonies and athletics competitions. Due to the most recent renovation which saw all remaining bleachers replaced by single seats, it is the 28th largest association football stadium in the world and the 8th largest association football stadium in Asia.
History
Under Sukarno: construction and inauguration
The stadium under construction, April 1962
After the Asian Games Federation declared Jakarta to host the 1962 Asian Games in 1958, the minimum requirement that yet to be met by the Jakarta was the availability of a multi-sport complex. In response to this, President Sukarno issued Presidential Decree No. 113/1959 dated 11 May 1959 about the establishment of the Asian Games Council of Indonesia (DAGI) led by Minister of SportsMaladi. As an architect and civil engineering graduate, Sukarno proposed a location near M. H. Thamrin Boulevard and Menteng (Karet, Pejompongan, or Dukuh Atas) for the future sports complex. then Sukarno accompanied Friedrich Silaban, a renowned architect to review the location of the proposed sports complex by helicopter. Silaban disagreed with the selection of Dukuh Atas because he argued the construction of a sports complex in the center the future downtown area will potentially create a massive traffic congestion. Sukarno agreed Silaban suggestion and instead assigned the Senayan area with an area of approximately 300 hectares.[9]
Construction began on 8 February 1960 and finished on 21 July 1962,[10] in time to host the following month's Asian Games. It was built as part of Sukarno's construction sprees before the 1962 Asian Games and the centerpiece of the Sports Complex.[11] Its construction was partially funded through a special loan from the Soviet Union. The stadium's original capacity was 110,000 people. The stadium is well known for its gigantic ring-shaped facade (a.k.a. "temu gelang"), which also was designed to shade spectators from the sun, and increase the grandeur of the stadium.[12] The idea came from Sukarno himself and although Soviet architects didn't want to implement temu gelang at first due to its unusual design, but Sukarno insisted and he got his way in the end.[11]
Inside the Gelora Bung Karno stadium in 2024
Although the stadium is popularly known as Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (Stadion Gelora Bung Karno) or GBK Stadium, its official name is Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno), as there are other stadiums in the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, such as the Sports Palace and the secondary stadium. It was known as Senajan (EYD: Senayan) Main Stadium from its opening through the 1962 Asiad until the complex's name was changed to Gelora Bung Karno by a Presidential Decree issued on 24 September 1962, twenty days after the games ended.
Under Soeharto: Gelora Senayan
During the New Order era, the complex was renamed "Gelora Senayan Complex" and the stadium was renamed "Gelora Senayan Main Stadium" in 1969. The name changes was part of the "de-Sukarnoization" policy by military junta government under Suharto.[13]
At the 1985 Perserikatan Final, Match Persib Bandung against PSMS Medan which was held at this stadium became an amateur match with the largest attendance of 150,000 spectators. The match was finally won by PSMS Medan.[7]
Reformasi–present
The stadium during the 2007 AFC Asian CupThe stadium with new seats, January 2018
After the fall of the dictatorship, the complex name was reverted by President Abdurrahman Wahid in a decree effective since 17 January 2001.[14] The stadium's capacity was then reduced further to 88,306 as a result of renovations for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.
The stadium served as the main venue of the 2018 Asian Games and Asian Para Games, hosting the ceremonies and athletics.[15] It underwent renovations in preparation for the events; to comply with FIFA standards, all of the stadium's existing seating was replaced, including its remaining bleachers, making it an all-seater with a capacity of 77,193. The new seats are coloured in red, white, and grey—resembling a waving flag of Indonesia. A new, brighter LED lighting system was also installed, with 620 fixtures, and an RGB lighting system was installed on the stadium's facade. Improvements were also made to the stadium's accessibility. The 2016 - 18 renovation of this stadium cost Rp769,69 billion (around US$59 million with 2016 exchange rate).[16][17][18][19][20][21]
The political rally for both parliamentary and also presidential elections in 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024. The 2019 final day campaign for both presidential candidates was held in this stadium. The final campaign was held on 7 and 13 April 2019 respectively. Each final campaign was attended by more than 77,000 supporters, arguably the most attended a one-day campaign rally in the history of the Indonesian presidential campaign.[24]
Christmas event jointly organized by the Indonesian Bethel Church for the whole district since 2006 until now (only absent in 2012)
One Direction held a concert in this arena on March 25, 2015.
In May 2019, Ed Sheeran held his Divide Tour at this stadium, making him the first male singer since Mick Jagger in 1988 to hold a concert in this stadium.
After 61 years of operation, Raisa became the first female singer to hold a concert at this stadium on February 25, 2023, after double postponement due to COVID-19.
Blackpink became the first Korean group to hold a concert in this stadium; the concert was held for 2 days in March 2023 as a part of their Born Pink World Tour.
Coldplay held their first ever visit to Jakarta on November 15, 2023, as a part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour; the concert grossed more than $13 million.
^Azanella, Luthfia Ayu (11 July 2021). Wedhaswary, Inggried Dwi (ed.). "Vaksin Gratis di GBK dan JIExpo untuk 60.000 Orang, Tak Harus KTP DKI" [Free Vaccine Shots at GBK and JIExpo for 60.000 people, DKI ID Card Not Required]. Kompas.com (in Indonesian). Kompas. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
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