A different kind of matchday moment unfolded at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (GBK) in Jakarta last weekend. As the Indonesian national team secured a win over Saint Kitts and Nevis in a FIFA Series match, two men stood out in the crowd not for cheering the loudest, but for quietly narrating the game.
They were acting as “Teman Bisik”, or whispering companions, helping blind supporters follow every moment on the pitch.
Through calm, continuous descriptions, they translated the fast-paced action into words, bringing the atmosphere of the stadium to life in a different way.
The initiative quickly caught public attention after clips circulated on social media. Many praised the effort, including national team players Rizky Ridho and Marc Klok, who responded positively to the gesture.
Behind the initiative are two men from the community media platform Wallpass.id, working in collaboration with the Sadar Belajar Foundation. Sanchaka Widjaja (27), one of the volunteers, said the idea came from a simple but powerful observation.
“Initially, I was touched by seeing them enjoy football in their own way, because we couldn’t imagine how we could love football without watching the matches,” he said on Monday, 30 March 2026, as quoted from RRI.
From that moment, the idea quickly turned into action. The team reached out to Sadar Belajar and organised the experience with limited preparation time.
“From there, we thought about featuring the Sadar Belajar team because we saw their enthusiasm while watching PSS Sleman. Because we thought it would be a shame to just interview them, we tried to invite them to watch the national team yesterday, and thank God, even though the preparations were a bit tight, it went well,” he explained.
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A Small Step Towards Inclusive Football
Sanchaka was joined by his friend, Chaeriel Umar (27), both from Bandung. Together, they guided the visually impaired supporters throughout the match, offering real-time commentary in a way that felt personal and engaging.
The experience, though simple, opened up a wider conversation about accessibility in Indonesian football. For Sanchaka, this should not be a one-off effort.
“We hope this can be a regular event, although the form of collaboration may vary. But the goal is certainly the same: to create a safe and comfortable space for watching football for everyone,” he said.
The response online has been just as encouraging. Many netizens expressed interest in becoming “Teman Bisik” themselves, turning a small act into a growing movement.
“I’m very happy to see so many people on social media wanting to be whisper buddies too, and I hope the attention and response from the national team players will also encourage teams in Indonesia to provide comfortable facilities and experiences for other friends with disabilities,” Sanchaka said.
The initiative highlights a simple idea: football is not only about what can be seen, but also what can be shared.
