FIFA has been forced to cancel an international match due to “unforeseen circumstances”, resulting in several Premier League stars being sent back to their clubs early.

The World Cup qualifier between North Korea and Japan on Tuesday, March 26, will not take place in Pyongyang.

1

The Asian Football Federation was informed by the North Korea FA of the “need to move the match to a neutral venue due to unavoidable circumstances.”

A report from Kyodo News, via Reutersclaims this was due to “concerns about infectious diseases in Japan.”

The two sides met in Tokyo yesterday for the first of their World Cup qualifiers.

Japan won 1-0 thanks to a goal in the second minute by Ao Tanaka, who plays for German side Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Japan was then scheduled to fly to North Korea’s capital for Tuesday’s match.

The two countries have no formal diplomatic relations.

But FIFA is now trying to find a new date after the plug was pulled on Pyongyang.

It means that Japan’s international breakthrough is already over.

BEST SIGN UP OFFERS FOR FREE BETTS FOR UK BOOKMAKER

And captain Wataru Endo now returns to Liverpool for their title challenge.

He is not the only Premier League star in the Japanese squad.

Luton’s Daiki Hashioka came off the bench in the first match against North Korea.

Other big names playing for Japan include Sporting Lisbon’s Hidemasa Morita, Celtic’s Daizen Maeda and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo.

There was also another familiar face in the ranks: ex-Liverpool winger Takumi Minamino also played against North Korea on Thursday.

Japan currently top the World Cup qualifying group with three wins from three.

In addition to defeating North Korea, they have also triumphed against Syria and Myanmar.

However, they had a disappointing Asian Cup campaign early this year, crashing out in the quarter-finals in a 2-1 defeat to Iran.

THE football world held its breath ahead of tonight’s big international clash as San Marino attempted to end their two-decade wait for victory.

However, the microstate in northeastern Italy will have to wait and see after missing a golden opportunity for a golden win.

2

2

San Marino is ranked as the worst national team according to the FIFA rankings, having lost 192 of the 201 matches it had contested before tonight.

It is the fifth smallest country in the world with a landmass of 61 km2 – about half the size of Manchester – and a population of just 33,000.

Yet goals in each of their last three matches – including against Denmark, who were until recently ranked in the top 20 countries in the world – appeared to show an upturn in their fortunes.

And a match against Caribbean side Saint Kitts and Nevis – ranked 63 places above San Marino at 210th in the FIFA rankings – presented a great opportunity to finally get a win on the board after twenty years.

San Marino was sensationally the bookmakers’ favorites to win the match in Serravalle.

Things started well when Filippo Berardi scored a penalty after 21 minutes to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

It led to a fan, who goes by ‘San Marino fan account’ on social media and started a campaign to have Jose Mourinho rule the nation, saying: ‘BERARDI YOU SEXY SEXY SUN OF A BEACH.’

The cheers didn’t last long, however, as Tyquan Terrell evened the score in the 31st minute.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

Things got worse on the stroke of half-time when Andre Burley scored a second for the visitors after the home side failed to clear their lines from a corner.

Any hopes of San Marino mounting a comeback were crushed shortly after the break when Harry Panayiotou scored a third in the 49th minute.

The match would end 3-1, meaning San Marino is now without a win in 137 games.

And it means Liechtenstein and Anguilla can both breathe a sigh of relief that their own joint record of 35 games without a win would not become the new holder.

Liechtenstein is the only team to beat San Marino in its history, with a 1-0 win in 2004 thanks to a goal from Andy Selva, the country’s all-time top scorer with eight goals.

San Marino captain Matteo Vitaioli made his debut some 17 years ago but is yet to win.

However, all is not lost.

The match will be repeated on Sunday, which means Vitaioli and Co will have the chance to make amends.

As quoted by the BBC ahead of the first match of the double-header on the possibility of a victory, the 34-year-old said: “It would mean that I am part of the history of the national team of my home country, so it is final goal.

“It represents an opportunity to leave a mark, something that cannot be lost. It would be something that would be remembered in 2050 and beyond because there have been so few victories.”

For all the talk about goalkeepers using their feet in the modern era, Rene Higuita was on another planet.

‘El Loco’ they called him – the frizzy-haired Colombian madman who was the true pioneer of the sweeper-keeper role we see and expect at the highest level today.

3

3

A driving force behind the 21^st century ball-playing shot-stopper and an entertainer of the masses with his incredible 43 career goals and of course that Scorpio kick.

Wembley Stadium. September 6, 1995. A dull goalless friendly between England and Colombia, illuminated by Higuita’s maddening goal-line play with his heels in the air.

Rumor has it that Jamie Redknapp – the Three Lions player whose overhit cross provided the platform – is still unable to understand his madness almost thirty years later.

Higuita told SunSport: “I’ve done some important things in football, and that Scorpion kick was special, and also where it took place: in the football temple at Wembley.”

But for Higuita – now 57 and retired 14 years ago – the only reason he even thought about that daring stunt was because of a FIFA rule implemented three years earlier, in 1992, that he says with his playing style was created in mind.

He explained: “What was more important [than the Scorpion] was the change in law that FIFA made, which removed a goalkeeper who picked up a back pass. That came through me.

“I believe I gave the goalkeepers more freedom, so they wouldn’t be on the ball so long and wouldn’t waste time.

“They were no longer just seen as players who had to use their hands. They can also use their feet.

BEST SIGN UP OFFERS FOR FREE BETTS FOR UK BOOKMAKER

“I recently sat next to West Ham goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero and he was very grateful to have me there and he said it was almost like he had a point of reference. Someone they could look up to, a mirror people could look into.”

We have Higuita to thank for his impact on the game, influencing the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta – even if it means endless debates over whether he should play David Raya or Aaron Ramsdale.

But Higuita wasn’t about structure or tactics – he was about pure, unadulterated fun, encouraging others who were now putting on the gloves to step forward with freedom and a smile.

However, it is unlikely that anyone will ever do it the way he did. There are some Premier League strikers who would be jealous of his goalscoring record.

For Colombian teams Atletico Nacional, Independiente Medelin, Real Cartagena, Bajo Cauca and Deportivo Rionegro, Mexico’s Veracruz, and for Colombia, Higuita scored 35 penalties, seven free kicks and one from his own penalty area.

He is currently fifth in the all-time goalscorers list – the four above him are also from South America.

Higuita added: “Some people thought it was crazy, but for me it was taking advantage of the circumstances in which I had to do things.”

And while Higuita enjoys watching the current crop of top goalkeepers – such as Manchester City’s Ederson, Manchester United’s Andre Onana and Everton’s Jordan Pickford – he said: “They play a lot more with their feet, but they are still quite limited in what they doing. .

“I would like to see them play more with their feet and take penalties. I’d even like to see them go past players and score goals, but it’s a matter of what you like.

“It’s something very personal. Maybe others don’t want to see that. It’s all about taste and no taste is a bad taste, as we say.

“Each of them brings a different grain of sand to what they do and tries to do it their way.”

Higuita’s style did not always pay off, especially at Italia 90, when his failed Cruyff turn past Cameroon’s Roger Milla 25 meters from goal knocked Colombia out in the last 16.

There was talk about me coming to England to play

René Higuita

But he is still convinced he could have flourished in a Guardiola team in today’s match and believes he would have played in the Premier League had he not been so tall .

He said: “There was talk about me coming to England to play. Newcastle was mentioned and there were a few comments from Arsenal.

“Something that was talked about a lot was my height, or lack thereof, so there was no firm offer for me to come to Britain.”

Higuita’s life outside of football was never easy either: he was briefly jailed in 1993 for playing as a go-between for Pablo Escobar in a kidnapping, tested positive for cocaine in 2004 and even ran for mayor of his home country in 2011.

But as he prepares to head to the London Stadium on Friday to watch Colombia’s friendly with Spain, he said: “Part of life is living in the moment and learning from your experiences.

“It was a beautiful past and an experience that I can take with me, but you cannot live in the past. I enjoy it and am very happy now. If I missed things, it would cause frustration.”

To buy tickets for Spain vs Colombia at the London Stadium, click here.

3

FIFA has announced a brand new international competition that will start in just a few days.

The FIFA Series will see international teams from different federations compete against each other during the next international break.

1

What makes the matches different is that the teams do not normally face each other.

The friendlies will also take place in a single host country with FIFA, in the hope that this will “enable greater international football interaction, making a concrete contribution to global football development”.

The event will be tested later this month, with 20 teams being placed into five different groups of four.

Two groups will play in Saudi Arabia, while one will consist of Algeria, Azerbaijan and Sri Lanka.

Three UEFA teams will be involved in the battle between Andorra and Algeria, Bolivia and South Africa.

While Azerbaijan will host Bulgaria, Mongolia and Tanzania.

Fans will be curious to see how the international minnows compete against each other.

It will also be interesting to see sides like Andorra play with better chances of winning.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “The FIFA Series is a very positive step forward for domestic football at global level.

“Our member associations have been telling us for some time that they want to test themselves against their colleagues from all over the world.

“And now they can do that within the current Men’s International Competition Calendar.

“More meaningful matches will enable much more valuable football interaction for players, teams and fans, and will make a concrete contribution to the development of the game.”

The first matches of the tournament start on March 21.

In the opening round, fans can watch South Africa versus Andorra, Guinea versus Vanuatu and Cape Verde versus Guyana.

LUKE LITTLER opened another supporter’s Fifa package ahead of last night’s Premier League darts action.

The star became a national phenomenon with his fairytale run at the PDC World Darts Championship in December.

2

2

That came to an end on January 3 when Luke Humphries defeated the then 16-year-old at Ally Pally 7-4 to become world champion.

‘Luke the Nuke’ took £200,000 despite losing it before winning the Bahrain Masters, and pocketed a further £20,000 for beating Michael van Gerwen in the final.

Littler returned to his hometown of Warrington for a subdued celebration of his 17th birthday and then defeated Humphries in the semi-final of the Dutch Masters, but suffered defeat to MVG in the final.

He only turned professional last month and capped off a whirlwind few weeks with a first call-up and then a bow for the Premier League.

Littler has already completed the Premier League scalp set, but he is still looking for his first night win.

A 6-3 semi-final defeat to Rob Cross yesterday denied the teenage sensation the chance to go for the £10,000 winners’ bonus in week five in Exeter.

However, he still managed to get viewers talking about him again for something other than his darts.

He first stunned one lucky supporter before even throwing his first dart of the night in Newcastle eight days ago.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

That’s because a gamer held out his phone to the youngster during his strike, but instead of posing for a selfie, the chap revealed his Fifa game on the phone.

All it took was for a parcel to be opened… with Littler duly obliging to the delight of his supporter – and the viewers at home watching.

And he repeated that trick in Exeter on Thursday, when he was presented with another phone with a FIFA package that had yet to be opened.

The delighted fan celebrated after Littler did the honors for him, with an eagle-eyed viewer revealing which footballer had picked the teenager.

That was Domenico Berardi, the Italian international striker who previously played for Juventus and is now with Sassuolo.

PDC World Darts runner-up Littler enjoys playing his Xbox and spent £500 of his £200,000 Ally Pally prize money on packages with very little fun.

Littler delighted his followers when he did a live stream with his girlfriend just days after thrusting himself into the public spotlight.

And even attending tournaments doesn’t stop him from getting his FC 24 fix.

Littler is regularly depicted by his co-stars preparing for competitions on stage simply by performing on his screen.

So much so that Peter Wright joked ahead of their showdown in Newcastle that he was going to steal Littler’s chill phone to disrupt his pre-match plans.

FANS have been left stunned after Chelsea were announced as qualifiers for the expanded 2025 Fifa Club World Cup.

The tournament is set to undergo a major shake-up next year, with 32 teams now involved.

1

And surprisingly, Chelsea will be one of them joining Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG.

One fan reacted to the news: “Why is Chelsea there.”

Another said: “Chelsea finished 10th but still went to the Club World Cup.”

One added: “What are the criteria for qualification?”

Another agreed: “How did Chelsea qualify? What qualifying criteria did FIFA use?”

Despite mass confusion among fans, FIFA confirmed that 2021-2024 Champions League winners will qualify for the tournament.

And Chelsea won the European Cup just three years ago under the leadership of Thomas Tuchel.

Winners of “the most important club competition of each confederation” are also eligible, which explains the presence of Bayern Munich and PSG.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

More information will be announced throughout 2024, including the trophy, host cities and the draw.

But for now, the first 19 parties have been announced and another 13 will be added.

The new 32-team tournament format will take place every four years with an extended international break merging the current September and October slots to accommodate the changes.

City – last season’s Champions League winners – are the current owners.

GERMAN referee Daniel Schlager gave a glimpse of the future of football during Sunday’s Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg.

Schlager’s VAR earpiece contained a camera that recorded his view of incidents in the game.

6

The footage will be shown at a Bundesliga show, but the concept could be used by PGMOL in the Prem in future after a similar kit was used during a friendly match between Chelsea and Brighton in the US last July.

A refereeing source said: “It could help fans realize why decisions were made.”

——————————–

PREM chief Richard Masters pulled out of a high-profile football conference to try to broker a cash deal between feuding clubs.

Masters was announced as the star at today’s FT Business of Football Summit in Mayfair.

6

But instead he scheduled an emergency meeting of the twenty Prem clubs half a kilometer away.

Bosses believe pressure is mounting on EFL chairman Rick Parry to come to the table and accept the proposed extra £155 million a year.

That would take the annual ‘solidarity payment’ to £498 million. However, some top clubs are reluctant to join the ‘New Deal’, arguing that the Big Six should pay more.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

Masters wants Prem clubs to agree financial rules for future seasons.

He is under pressure to improve profitability and sustainability rules, which allow losses of £105 million over three years.

There are also problems with the planned “mirroring” of UEFA’s new calculation of selection expense ratios, which will see expenditure on wages and transfers directly linked to revenues.

An agreement will be ratified on March 11.

——————————–

THE apparent U-turn by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin on staying in office until 2031 is putting pressure on Olympic chief Thomas Bach to raise his hand.

6

6

Bach, 70 and a 1976 Montreal gold medalist, will retire in 2025 when his maximum 12-year reign expires.

But the German is still hinting at plans to ‘amend’ the Olympic charter, allowing him to run for another term.

Ceferin’s surprise news in Paris this month that he “has no intention” of competing again in 2027, Olympic insiders have urged Bach (below) to follow suit.

One potential replacement is two-time Olympic 1500m champion Seb Coe, who made his own announcement this week.

Coe, head of World Athletics, will confirm the 2027 world championship host during the indoor version in Glasgow.

Istanbul is the favourite, while Beijing is also in the running, unless Coe has a surprise in store.

——————————–

DUMBARTON fans may have to prepare for an unlikely VIP visitor this weekend.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino likes to attend a match after the annual general meeting of the game’s legislative International FA board.

Last year he walked quickly from the County Hall in London to Millwall.

And with this year’s meeting at Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond, the nearest match on Saturday is the Scottish League Two match between The Sons and Peterhead.

6

6

THE FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is just around the corner as sixteen of the world's best teams come together to win the biggest prize in sport.

The competition will take place in Dubai for the second time this year, having previously taken place there in 2009.

2

Russia are the current owners, having won the competition on home soil in 2021, beating Japan 5-2 in the final.

However, they will not defend their crown now that all Russian teams have been banned from participating in FIFA competitions.

There are a number of strong teams taking part in this year's competition, with European champions Italy being firm favorites to win the competition.

The Azzuri have recent FIFA Best Goalkeeper award winner Leandro Casapieri in their squad.

Brazil and Portugal are currently the top-ranked teams in the world.

Spain, ranked fourth, only qualified for the tournament after Ukraine withdrew in protest at allowing Belarus, a Russian ally, to participate.

2

What are the rules of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup?

The main rules of the sport are that there are five players on each team.

Seven substitutes may be appointed on each match day, with an unlimited number of substitutions allowed.

A typical beach soccer match lasts a total of 36 minutes and the matches are divided into three 12-minute periods.

There will then be three-minute breaks for each period, with the game clock being paused if there is a stoppage in play due to an injury, a foul or a goal scored.

There is no offside rule in the sport, while players are not allowed to score directly from kick-off.

Players can decide whether to take the throw-in (or kick-in) with their hands or feet.

When is the FIFA Beach Football World Cup?

The Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup starts on Thursday 15 February and the final takes place on Sunday 25 February.

All matches of the tournament will take place at the Dubai Design District Stadium.

Which TV channel will air the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup and can it be streamed live?

The tournament is NOT available on British television and no broadcaster has the rights.

However, every match will be streamed live for FREE on the FIFA+ website, which is available in the UK.

US viewers can watch the tournament on the FOX Sports network.

Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup 2024 schedule

Thursday February 15

United States 1-3 Italy

United Arab Emirates 2-1 Egypt

Tahiti 4-3 Argentina

Spain vs Iran

Friday February 16

Colombia vs Japan

Senegal vs Belarus

Portugal vs Mexico

Brazil vs Oman

Saturday February 17

Italy vs Egypt

United Arab Emirates vs United States

Spain vs Tahiti

Argentina vs Iran

Sunday February 18

Japan vs Belarus

Senegal vs Colombia

Mexico vs Oman

Brazil vs Portugal

Monday February 19

Argentina vs Spain

Iran vs Tahiti

Egypt vs United States

Italy vs United Arab Emirates

Tuesday February 20

Belarus vs Colombia

Japan vs Senegal

Oman vs Portugal

Mexico vs Brazil

Thursday February 22

Quarterfinals

Saturday February 24

Semi-finals

Sunday February 25

Competition for third place

Last

SOME Prem clubs believe too many 'subjective' decisions are being changed by VAR – and want an even lighter touch to be introduced.

Club chiefs accept 'factual' offside calls and determine whether fouls have occurred inside or outside the penalty area, just as they welcome goal-line decision technology.

4

They are also confident that semi-automatic offside limb tracking technology will speed up the process, although it is increasingly unlikely the system will be introduced before next season.

But a series of controversial calls by officials and the VAR teams at Stockley Park have sparked a debate around the Prem conference table about where the balance on changing calls should lie.

A number of clubs now argue that all 'subjective' decisions on the pitch should go unchallenged unless there is absolute evidence to overturn them. This one will rumble.

RICH PICKS

The financial dominance of English football is underlined by the latest figures from UEFA.

Prem clubs grossed £5.5 billion last season, almost double the £2.82 billion earned by nearest La Liga challengers.

That's equal to the total income of the bottom FIFTY domestic leagues in Europe

But the UEFA figures, published today (Thursday) in the European Club Finance and Investment Landscape Report, also show the evolving power shift between the Prem Big Six.

FREE BETTS – BEST BETTS & BONUSES FOR NEW CUSTOMERS

4

UEFA research shows that Manchester United have the most expensively acquired squad in the world, assembled at a cost of £1.21 billion, closely followed by Manchester City and Chelsea.

But Spurs, whose turnover of almost £550 million has overtaken London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, are now the third highest earners in football with gate receipts of £116 million last season, behind only Barcelona and PSG.

Tottenham's wage bill of £247 million is ninth in the Euro table, which is topped by Barca and PSG, with City in third place on £473 million.

North Londoners' notoriously tight financial regime under Daniel Levy means they have the lowest wage-to-income ratio (just 46 percent) of all the top 20 earners.

But the UEFA figures also show that Saudi ownership is not the automatic step to the elite for Newcastle.

Toon's revenues were £246 million, but gate receipts were just £38 million, significantly less than those of both Rangers and Celtic, with a wage bill of £184 million representing 75 percent of their total income.

MINORITY OF ONE

FA bosses remain unrepentant over their decision to vote against rule changes that could see UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stay in power until 2031.

Wembley chief executive Mark Bullingham was the only opposition in the final vote, although Ukraine abstained.

Ceferin's decision to announce within minutes that he did not “intend” to stand for a fourth term made the FA's vote look like an unnecessary move.

4

Some associations privately joked about the FA's isolation during meetings at UEFA's Paris hotel base for its annual conference.

But there is a strong belief within the FA that the “principle” of supporting term limits was more important than the outcome of the vote – which it insists was NOT about Ceferin's leadership.

And the FA will work with UEFA to help develop proposals to meet FIFA boss Gianni Infantino's demand for rules that could rid football of racism by his three-month deadline.

GREEK TRAGEDY REJECTED

A chill in the hearts of many who fear for the future of football as Amazon Prime announces a new feature-length documentary “Giannis”.

Luckily for those who think we've had enough of the FIFA president, it's actually about Greek Milwaukee Bucks NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo. No sin bins or blue card required.

SUITABLE TRIBUTE

London Marathon bosses plan to pay tribute to last year's winner Kelvin Kiptum following the Kenyan star's tragic death in a car crash at the age of 24.

A plaque in Kiptum's memory could be unveiled at the starting line on April 21 as runners line up.

4

According to unofficial counts from Indonesian polling stations, Subianto had between 57% and 59% of the votes, with more than 80% of votes counted in the polling stations surveyed.

Jakarta, Indonesia: Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, an ex-general with ties to past human rights abuses, claimed victory in Indonesia's presidential election on Wednesday based on unofficial figures.

The 72-year-old candidate, who was once denied entry by the United States for two decades because of his human rights record, told thousands of supporters at a sports stadium in the capital Jakarta that the victory, according to an early The unofficial ' rapid count' was 'the victory of all Indonesians'.

There was no explanation from election officials and the two former provincial governors who also contested elections in the world's third-largest democracy have not conceded defeat.

Subianto was an army general during the brutal period of Suharto's dictatorship, which ended just over 25 years ago. He served as a special forces commander in a unit linked to torture and disappearances, allegations he strongly denies.

According to unofficial counts from Indonesian polling stations, Subianto had between 57% and 59% of the votes, with more than 80% of votes counted in the polling stations surveyed.

The rapid counts are based on the actual number of votes in a number of polling stations throughout Indonesia. The laborious official count may take another month, but rapid counts have provided an accurate picture of the results of all four presidential elections held in Indonesia since the country began direct voting in 2004.

“We are grateful for the quick counting results,” he said in the nationally televised speech. “We should not be arrogant, we should not be proud, we should not be euphoric, we should still be humble, this victory should be a victory for the entire Indonesian people.”

To avoid a second round against his rivals, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, Subianto needs more than 50% of all votes cast and at least 20% in every province of the country.

Subianto has presented himself as the heir to the immensely popular incumbent President Joko Widodo, whose son he chose as his running mate.

Widodo's successor will inherit an economy with impressive growth and ambitious infrastructure projects, including the continued transfer of the country's capital from overcrowded Jakarta to the border island of Borneo at a staggering cost of more than $30 billion.

The election also has major stakes for the United States and China, as Indonesia has a huge domestic market, natural resources such as nickel and palm oil, and diplomatic influence over its neighbors in Southeast Asia.

Widodo's rise from a riverside slum to president has showcased the vibrancy of Indonesian democracy in a region full of authoritarian regimes.

But with a leading candidate linked to a former dictator and Widodo's son on the ballot, some observers fear democracy is eroding.

Indonesians voted on Wednesday in an election that lasted just six hours. The logistics of voting across the tropical country's 17,000 islands, inhabited by 270 million people, were daunting: ballot boxes and ballot papers were transported by boat, motorcycle, horseback and on foot to some of the more remote locations.

Apart from the presidency, some 20,000 national, provincial and district parliamentary posts were contested by tens of thousands of candidates in one of the world's largest elections, which authorities said concluded without major problems. About 10,000 candidates from 18 political parties contested the 580 seats of the national parliament alone.

Voters interviewed by The Associated Press expressed hope that their next leader would help them achieve greater prosperity in a country where nearly a tenth of the population still lives in poverty.

“I hope that Indonesia can develop better and that I didn't vote for the wrong person,” said Indra Nurohim, a 17-year-old high school student and first-time voter. “I hope we get a better government.”

Subianto, at 72 the oldest presidential candidate, lost to Widodo in two previous runs but led in independent surveys. His running mate, Widodo's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was allowed to stand as a candidate when the Constitutional Court made an exception to the minimum age of 40. The court was then headed by Widodo's brother-in-law, who was dismissed due to an ethics issue. panel for not rejecting himself, and Widodo was accused of favoritism and nepotism.

Critics have accused Widodo of trying to build a political dynasty despite being the first president to emerge outside the political and military elite since the end of Suharto's dictatorial rule in 1998, which was marked by widespread human rights abuses, plunder and political upheaval.

Subianto, a former lieutenant general who married one of Suharto's daughters, was a longtime commander in the army's special forces called Kopassus. He was dishonorably discharged in 1998 after Kopassus forces kidnapped and tortured Suharto's political opponents.

Of the at least 22 activists kidnapped that year, thirteen remain missing to this day, and their families protest weekly outside the presidential palace demanding that the activists be taken into account. Subianto never faced trial and denied any involvement, although several of his men were tried and convicted.

During the campaign period that ended last weekend, Subianto and his strategists used AI and social media platforms such as TikTok to soften his image, portraying him as a cuddly grandfather to his youthful running mate. Rejected by human rights activists, he danced on the campaign stage and promised to generate nearly 20 million jobs in his first term if elected.

Baswedan, a former head of an Islamic university, was governor of Jakarta until last year. Baswedan, a former Fulbright scholar, was minister of education and culture from 2014 to 2016, when Widodo removed him from the cabinet after accusing him of failing to address the problems of thousands of students affected by forest fires.

Baswedan opposes Widodo's plan to move Indonesia's capital from Jakarta to Nusantara on the island of Borneo, building government buildings and residential enclaves by clearing lush tropical rainforests.

In an interview with the AP last month, he said democracy in Indonesia was under threat given Subianto's choice of the president's son as his running mate.

“This means that trust is declining, it means that our democracy is experiencing a decline in quality, it means that many rules of law are being bent,” he said.

Pranowo is a candidate for the ruling party, but does not receive the support of Widodo. He served as a national lawmaker for Indonesia's ruling Democratic Struggle Party for a decade before being elected in 2013 for the first of two terms as governor of the vote-rich Central Java region.

While he was governor, Pranowo refused to allow Israel to participate in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup held in his province. FIFA subsequently dropped Indonesia as host of the games, angering Indonesian football fans and Widodo.

Israel and Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, have no diplomatic ties.

Under Widodo, Indonesia enjoyed a period of remarkable growth averaging 5% per year, except for 2020, when the economy shrank due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His economic roadmap, called 'Golden Indonesia 2045', predicts that Indonesia will become one of the world's five largest economies with a gross domestic product of up to $9 trillion, exactly a century after the country gained independence from Dutch colonists.