MANDALA Stadium is always packed when Jayapura’s Persipura team competes. The Black Pearl—as Persipura is dubbed—is a magnet for soccer fans in Papua. With the stadium full, a lot of supporters are ready to sit on the surrounding hillsides.

The stadium with its 15,000seat capacity was immediately packed when Persipura hosted Sriwijaya in the final game of the Super League on June 10.

The inadequate facilities posed no problem to the socc