Suara.com – The U-17 World Cup Opening Ceremony will take place at the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Surabaya, on November 10 2023, which will be held before Indonesia vs Ecuador, which kicks off at 19.00 WIB. The Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium (GBT) was chosen because it is a silent witness to the history of independence and the spirit of Surabaya arek-arek football. For complete details, see the history of the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium below.
Gelora Bung Tomo which is located in Benowo, District. Pakal, Surabaya, East Java, was built in 2008. This stadium, which is the pride of Surabaya residents, has a historical background and is a witness to various important events in Indonesia.
At the start of its development, Gelora Bung Tomo was part of a development project aimed at improving football sports infrastructure in the Surabaya and East Java regions. With a construction cost of around IDR 500 billion, this stadium is capable of becoming one of the largest stadiums in the region.
GBT Stadium offers a capacity of 55,000 spectators. It is important to remember that the history of the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium cannot be separated from the use of the name of the national hero, namely Bung Tomo.
Gelora Bung Tomo was built as a form of respect for the Indonesian people to one of the warrior figures from Surabaya, namely Bung Tomo. His figure was known to be persistent and brave during the struggle against colonialism.
Thanks to his struggle, he was named a National Hero.
Based on history, on November 10 1945 a heroic battle took place in Surabaya, and Bung Tomo played the role of a motivator, in motivating the people of Surabaya to dare to fight against the Allied or British troops. Thanks to his motivation, the people of Surabaya were not afraid to fight for Indonesian independence.
GBT itself is the result of a major overhaul of the previous stadium, called Gelora 10 November. The previously built stadium was a key witness to the great battle and the fighting spirit of the people of Surabaya.
Then, in order to increase standards and capacity, Gelora 10 November was renovated and then in 2010 changed its name to Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium. This renovation process is not just a physical change, but also represents the fighting spirit, revival and modernization of sports in Surabaya.
Although the capacity was reduced to 46,806 spectators. After the replay, GBT continues to play an important role as a sports and entertainment center in the East Java region. GBT is not only a venue for football matches at national and international level, but also provides a modern and comfortable touch for the audience.
There are excellent facilities such as an indoor stadium and also a drag race track. This shows that GBT is fulfilling its commitment to make the complex a center for such diverse sports activities.
As a host for sharing sports activities, Gelora Bung Tomo is also a silent witness to the efforts of the Surabaya City Government to promote the spirit of sports and cleanliness in the surrounding environment. In fact, GBT was also used as preparation for the 2023 U-20 Asian Cup Qualification. This activity then became one of the moments where GBT once again became the center of attention of the international community.
Through various renovations and significant changes, Gelora Bung Tomo has become a symbol of prosperity and the spirit of national revival in Surabaya. Its existence now is very meaningful for the progress of the Indonesian nation.
That was a review of the history of the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium which was used as the location for the opening ceremony of the U-17 World Cup. Hope it is useful!
Contributor: Putri Ayu Nanda Sari