Manggarai Barat drafts sports design ahead of PON 2028 hosting role

Labuan Bajo — The Manggarai Barat administration is preparing a regional sports design as it gears up to host women’s football and sailing at Indonesia’s 2028 National Sports Week (PON XXI/2028).

According to the public broadcaster RRI, the Education, Youth and Sports Agency (Dinas Pendidikan, Kepemudaan dan Olahraga/PKO) convened a meeting on Thursday, 17 September 2026 at the regent’s office to discuss the Desain Olahraga Daerah, or DOD, which will guide sports development and PON preparations in the district.

RRI reported that Acting Regional Secretary Pius Baut asked the PKO agency to spell out the DOD’s needs, stages, targets and implementation period so that Manggarai Barat’s sports planning becomes more measurable and aligned with its role as one of the hosts of PON 2028.

The DOD is being designed as a framework for sports governance and development in Manggarai Barat.

According to the RRI report, the document is expected to involve the local government, the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), the Community Sports Committee (KORMI), academics and private-sector representatives in setting long-term directions for sport in the district.

Four pillars for local sports development

RRI stated that the proposed design will be built around four pillars of sports development: sports education, community sports, achievement sports and the sports industry.

The framework is intended to support public participation and physical fitness, athlete training, talent identification and the application of sports science.

Head of the PKO agency Agustinus Gias told RRI that a planned regent’s regulation on the DOD is expected to produce strategic steps to prepare Manggarai Barat for its role in PON 2028, particularly as host of women’s football and sailing.

The regulation had not yet been issued at the time of the report.

Roadmap and data collection

Before drafting the full design, the PKO agency and other regional offices plan to prepare a roadmap that will serve as a basis for local sports development.

Secondary data from various government offices will be collected and analysed, with the possibility of involving experts with relevant competence in sports planning and development.

Local government information service Info Mabar, which publishes official releases from the Manggarai Barat administration, has also highlighted the DOD initiative as part of the district’s preparations to host women’s football and sailing events during PON XXI/2028.

Sports, tourism and the local economy

According to RRI, Manggarai Barat officials view sport not only as a tool for improving public health and athletic performance, but also as a potential driver of tourism and the local economy through the sports industry and sport tourism.

The DOD is therefore expected to link grassroots and elite sports development with wider economic opportunities, including tourism activities centred on the district’s attractions such as Labuan Bajo and the surrounding islands.

Both RRI and Info Mabar emphasise that the DOD process is still at an early stage, focused on aligning stakeholders and preparing the roadmap and data collection needed to support formal drafting and eventual regulation.

As the host of women’s football and sailing at PON XXI/2028, Manggarai Barat’s ability to translate this framework into concrete infrastructure, athlete support and tourism initiatives will be closely watched by residents, businesses and sports bodies in Nusa Tenggara Timur and beyond.

Sources

• RRI Ende – "Jadi Salah Satu Tuan Rumah PON 2028, Pemkab Mabar Siapkan Desain Olahraga Daerah"
• Info Mabar – Government of Manggarai Barat official information site (article: "Jadi Salah Satu Tuan Rumah PON 2028, Mabar Siapkan Desain Olahraga Daerah")