Jakarta. During a historic grand mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (GBK) on Thursday, a member of the congregation captured attention by holding up a poster asking Pope Francis to bless the stadium for Indonesia's upcoming World Cup qualifier. The poster read, "Please bless this stadium for round 3 of World Cup qualifier."

Indonesian football fans are eagerly hoping that the Garuda Squad will advance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, there were concerns about potential damage to the stadium, which was used for the mass attended by over 80,000 Catholics.

The Indonesian national team is scheduled to use GBK Stadium to host Australia in the World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, September 10.

Despite concerns, The Jakarta Globe reported that the pitch remained untouched during the papal mass. The football field was not used during the service, with organizers setting up a barrier along the pitch. The mass took place in the stands and outside the field, with the altar positioned off the playing surface.

The event, attended by 60,000 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium and 26,000 at the adjacent Madya Stadium, was a major occasion for Indonesian Catholics, marking the first papal visit since 1989.

Following this visit, Pope Francis will travel to Papua New Guinea on Friday, continuing to East Timor and Singapore, with the tour concluding on September 13.

In the meantime, Indonesia will kick off its World Cup campaign against Saudi Arabia. The two teams are set to clash in a Group C match at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on  Friday, November 6, 2024, at 01:00 a.m. Jakarta time.