Persikotas picks Galuh Stadium as home: Ecep calls it a good start for East Priangan football

Indonesian lower-tier football has produced a rare cross-boundary cooperation story. Persikotas Tasikmalaya Nusantara FC, a Liga 3 club, confirmed it will use Stadion Galuh in Ciamis as its home base from the 2026/27 season. The announcement was made by CEO Ecep Suwardaniyasa after a meeting with PSGC Ciamis, a Liga 2 club that manages the stadium. Ecep described the agreement as “a good start for the future of East Priangan football.” The move was initiated by club advisor Undang Sudrajat. The cooperation is much broader than stadium tenancy. The two clubs plan to work on youth player development, coaching exchange, sport tourism, supporter education, marketing partnerships, and merchandising. They also announced a “peace declaration” between the two fan groups: Laskar Singacala of PSGC and Laskar Wiradadaha of Persikotas. That step signals awareness of latent tension between supporters who will now share the same venue. Financial details have not been disclosed. There is no information on rent, revenue sharing, contract length, or dispute resolution. For a lower-tier club, sharing a stadium reduces infrastructure costs and provides stability. But the true value of the agreement cannot be assessed until the financial terms are made public. There is a structural imbalance. PSGC is one tier above Persikotas. If youth development cooperation becomes real, the best talents may naturally move up to the higher-tier club. Unless the two sides sign clear terms on player swaps, training compensation, or loan priorities, Persikotas could become a feeder club. Governance also raises questions: Herdiat Sunarya, the Ciamis Regent, is also PSGC CEO. Since Stadion Galuh is a public facility, transparent procedures are needed to avoid any perception of conflict of interest. The VIVA report presents the story only in a positive light and does not scrutinize this issue. The partnership relies heavily on a few key individuals: Undang Sudrajat, Ecep Suwardaniyasa, and Herdiat Sunarya. If any of them leaves, the agreement could become fragile. Indonesian lower-league football has seen many clubs collapse, change ownership, or withdraw mid-season. A handshake-based agreement is not enough. Supporter relations deserve close monitoring. The fact that the two fan bases needed a peace declaration suggests past friction. Now they will share the same stadium regularly. Without strong security protocols, a small provocation could escalate into serious trouble and lead to league sanctions. On a positive note, the two clubs are trying to create a larger regional football identity. By combining audiences, they become more attractive to sponsors. Persikotas also solves its venue problem and gains a stable matchday base. For sport tourism, the collaboration could bring visitors from Tasikmalaya to Ciamis. Still, the article contains only intentions, not results. No signed memorandum has been published, no youth player list has been confirmed, and no new sponsor has been announced. Success should be measured by three signals: a formal agreement with clear terms, actual player movement between the clubs, and new regional or national sponsorship deals. Without them, this is just a promising press conference. Persikotas needs Stadion Galuh more than Stadion Galuh needs Persikotas. PSGC holds the stronger hand as the higher-division club and stadium controller. How Persikotas manages that dependency will determine whether it becomes an equal partner or merely a tenant. Time, not words, will decide whether Ecep’s “good start” for East Priangan football becomes a lasting story.