PSSI Belum Tahu Pemanggilan
Dewa United defender Alta Ballah received a call-up from the Liberia Football Association to join the national team for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, detikSport reported.
The 25-year-old player faces a choice between representing his father’s homeland and continuing to wait for an opportunity with the Indonesia national team. PSSI National Team Body chairman Sumardji stated that the federation has not yet received official notification regarding the player. Sumardji told reporters on Nov. 9, 2026, that he had not yet received information regarding the situation.
The Liberia Football Association sent a formal letter to Dewa United president Ardian Satya Nugraha on Oct. 20, 2026, requesting the player’s release. The call-up targets matches against Cape Verde in Group K of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Liberia plays away against Cape Verde on Nov. 13, 2026, before hosting the return fixture on Nov. 18, 2026, Suara.com reported.
However, CNN Indonesia noted that Alta Ballah’s name did not appear in the official LFA squad announcement released for the November 2026 FIFA window, indicating he may initially join training sessions as a holder of an Indonesian passport.
Prioritizing Indonesia First
Alta Ballah was born and raised in Tangerang, Indonesia, and began his professional career with Persita Tangerang during the 2021/22 Liga 1 season, detikSport reported. He subsequently played for Persebaya Surabaya for one season before joining Dewa United ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
His father, Anthony Jomah Ballah, earned three caps for Liberia during his own playing career. Anthony Jomah Ballah confirmed the call-up in a phone interview with Kompas, noting that the player, his club, and his manager were informed of the request in late October.
Despite the formal invitation from the country where his father was born, the player intends to postpone a decision while he pursues a spot with the senior Indonesian squad, Suara.com reported. Untuk saat ini saya masih ingin memprioritaskan Indonesia karena kami percaya kesempatan untuk membela Timnas Indonesia masih terbuka. Saya ingin terlebih dahulu memperjuangkan kesempatan tersebut,
Alta Ballah said in a written statement cited by CNN Indonesia.
JPNN reported that the player emphasized his deep personal connection to the country where he grew up. Indonesia sangat dekat dengan saya karena saya lahir dan besar di sini. Jadi, tentu saja ada ikatan yang sangat kuat dengan negara ini,
he told JPNN.
Alta Ballah postpones Liberia call-up to focus on Indonesia
Did Alta Ballah accept the Liberia national team call-up?
No, the defender decided to postpone the opportunity to focus on his goal of earning a cap for Indonesia, according to Suara.com.
Which matches did Liberia call Alta Ballah to play?
Kompas reported that the LFA selected him for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Cape Verde scheduled for November.
What does PSSI say about the situation?
Sumardji stated that the national team body had not received any official paperwork from the Liberian federation regarding the player, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
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