Palembang, The Indonesia Post – The excitement surrounding the world’s biggest football event, the 2026 World Cup, is starting to resonate across the land of Sriwijaya. South Sumatra Governor H. Herman Deru (HD) appeared in person on TVRI Sport’s interactive dialogue titled “Happy Football Towards the World Cup with the Governor of South Sumatra.”
The event, which was also attended by the Head of the South Sumatra TVRI Station, Eflianty Analisa, took place lively in the Kambang Iwak area, Palembang, on Sunday (3/5/2026) morning.
In front of the crowd who were exercising, Herman Deru shared his enthusiasm for the world’s most popular sport.
“The people of South Sumatra really love watching football, and I happen to enjoy playing it too. Back when I was a civil servant at the provincial government, I was part of the OPD (Regional Government Organization) team,” HD recalled, greeted by applause from the KI audience.
According to him, football has a unique appeal compared to other sports because of its inclusive nature.
“Football is a people’s sport. Why? Because it’s easy to play, inexpensive, and exciting. That’s why it’s always a favorite pastime across generations,” he added.
Herman Deru also appreciated the role of national television, which holds the official broadcasting rights, allowing all corners of the country to experience the euphoria of this tournament. This aligns with the President of the Republic of Indonesia’s directive to foster a spirit of sportsmanship and the excitement of football in the country.
Dialogue and outreach activities like this are carried out simultaneously in regions in Indonesia to welcome the 2026 World Cup. The tournament will be a new history with a format of 48 participating countries with an implementation time of June 11 – July 19, 2026, where the host is a collaboration of three major countries, namely Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Through this “Happy Ball” activity, Governor Herman Deru hopes that the World Cup fever can motivate young soccer athletes in South Sumatra to continue to excel and advance national sports.
Also present were heads of regional government agencies (OPD). (mhn/ril)
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