Persib Is Favored to Win the Dewata Challenge Series, Here Are the Reasons

Persib Bandung is widely tipped as the favorite to win the 2026 Dewata Challenge Series. Backed by match experience from the 2026 President's Cup, plus having multiple players who represented the Indonesia National Team at the 2026 AFF Cup, the Maung Bandung squad is assessed to be far better prepared than competing sides Sabah FC and Bali United.

The Dewata Challenge Series will feature three teams: Persib Bandung, Malaysia's Sabah FC, and tournament hosts Bali United. Persib will open their campaign against Sabah FC at the I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Gianyar, Bali on Saturday 15 August 2026.

Two independent football analysts, Erwin Fitriansyah and Ronny Pangemanan, both agree that Persib holds the strongest chance of claiming the tournament title.

According to Erwin Fitriansyah, affectionately known as Bung Erwin, Persib entered this tournament with far more thorough preparations.

Seven Persib players had previously featured for the Indonesia National Team during the AFF Cup, while all other members of the Pangeran Biru squad have already earned competitive match minutes through the President's Cup tournament.

"Persib have a very real shot at winning this. I'm personally most curious to see how Persib performs with their full first team available. What will Mariano Peralta be able to show with extended game time? Where exactly Thom Haye will be deployed is also very interesting to watch," he stated on the Itsme Podcast.

He noted that Persib's preparation cycle is already well advanced ahead of the official domestic competition calendar. The squad's physical conditioning is currently at a very promising stage following a series of pre-tournament matches.

"They are already more than halfway ready, I would put their readiness at over 70%. Coming out of the competitive break, their conditioning work for the upcoming official season is already almost fully complete," he added.

President's Cup Experience Gives Persib Critical Advantage

Ronny Pangemanan, popularly known by his nickname Bung Ropan, also names Persib as the clear strongest candidate for the Dewata Challenge Series trophy.

He explained that Persib holds a major advantage in having already gained competitive match experience that the other two participating teams have not yet accumulated.

Prior to this tournament, Persib completed a full run at the President's Cup. They faced off against opponents including Arema FC, DPMM FC, Tampines Rovers and Persija Jakarta, before ultimately being defeated on penalties by Persebaya Surabaya in the tournament final.

"Why are they the title favorites? Because they have this head start. They already went through this proper competitive preparation phase very well during the President's Cup. Neither Sabah nor Bali United have had that. They've already tested themselves against Arema, DPMM, Tampines Rovers, Persija, then that final penalty loss against Persebaya," stated Bung Ropan.

He added that this match experience puts Persib at a far higher level of readiness. Even though the team rotated between first team and reserve players throughout the President's Cup, every squad member has now gained valuable competitive match time.

"So they are already match sharp, even when they were fielding mixed first and second team lineups, including giving Peralta game time. Right now, Persib is the most prepared side here after coming through that sequence of high quality test matches," he concluded.

For Persib, the Dewata Challenge Series will act as the next logical preparation stage, following their President's Cup campaign and ongoing training camp based in Bali.

Igor Tolic Acknowledges Limited Intelligence On Sabah FC

Despite being heavy tournament favorites, Persib have insisted they will not underestimate Sabah FC. Head coach Igor Tolic has confirmed that his staff do not yet have complete information on the strengths and weaknesses of the Malaysian club.

Persib's coaching team is currently reviewing full match footage of Sabah FC for analysis ahead of the opening fixture. This scouting data will be used to finalize the game plan for their first match in Bali.

From the playing squad, Persib defender Gabriel Mutombo also warned that Sabah FC will not be an easy opponent.

"This is a very solid side. I have already watched highlights of their match against Bali," he told the club's official website.

The fixture against Sabah FC will also give Igor Tolic his first opportunity to evaluate the squad's progress following their period of intensive daily training during the Bali training camp.

With several new signings now integrated into the team and major competitive fixtures on the horizon, this match will serve as an important benchmark for the side.