Raisa to go forward with GBK show despite FIFA’s decision against concerts at the venue

Indonesian singer Raisa has proclaimed that her scheduled concert at the GBK Stadium in Jakarta will go on despite a FIFA decision against concerts at the venue ahead of the U-20 World Cup next year.

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The FIFA U-20 World Cup is set held from May 20 to June 11, with the GBK Stadium undergoing renovation works ahead of the tournament. Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sport Zainudin Amali previously shared that he had submitted a letter to FIFA inquiring about the use of the stadiums for concerts following his comments made in November that the stadium will be closed to concerts and all public activities and events until the U-20 World Cup.

FIFA has since refused a request to allow the usage of the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta next year for activities other than football earlier this month on December 2, putting the status of Raisa and K-pop group BLACKPINK’s previously announced concerts at the stadium into question.

FIFA Men’s Tournament Manager Christian Schmolzer claimed in an email that holding two concerts on the playing field would “greatly hinder” the field management program planned for the grounds, explaining: “Given the significant investment the government has agreed to spend in providing a high-quality football field, it would be contradictory to let this event take place as close to the tournament as possible”.

In a new statement regarding the status of the concert to Detik, Raisa said that her concert at the stadium is slated to go ahead as her teams have not received any notification that the concert cannot be held at the stadium. She declared: “It stays in GBK either way because if we don’t get any notification, then everything is in order.”

“There are only preparations left and ticket sales are still ongoing,” she added, noting that her festival-class tickets had recently sold out. Raisa’s concert at the GBK Stadium is set to be held this February 25.

Despite FIFA’s ruling, BLACKPINK’s Jakarta concerts are still scheduled to take place at GBK Stadium. The concert organisers have yet to address the venue issue.

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