JAKARTA — Mal Ciputra Jakarta successfully hosted the Barongsai International Competition 2026 at the Center Court, Lower Ground, Mal Ciputra Jakarta. Held on September 19–20, 2026, the international competition was organized by Mal Ciputra Jakarta in collaboration with Kong Ha Hong and the Indonesian Lion Dance Federation (FOBI).
After being held on a Greater Jakarta scale the previous year, the competition was elevated to an international event in 2026, bringing together 10 teams from five countries. The participants comprised six teams from Indonesia and one team each from Australia, Malaysia, China, and Hong Kong.
Several overseas participants were national champions in their respective countries. Their participation created a highly competitive event while providing Indonesian athletes with valuable international-level experience.
Event Preceded by a Press Conference
Ahead of the competition, a press conference was held on Friday evening, September 18, 2026, to present the event preparations, competition format, and collaboration among the organizing parties.
Arifin Himawan, Executive Chairman of FOBI, and Hery Lim, Secretary-General of FOBI, attended the press conference alongside representatives of Mal Ciputra Jakarta and Kong Ha Hong.
The presence of FOBI’s leadership reflected the federation’s support for high-quality lion dance competitions. The collaboration was also expected to strengthen athlete development and introduce competitive lion dance to a wider audience.
General Manager of Mal Ciputra Jakarta, Ferry Irianto, explained that elevating the event to an international competition followed the positive public response to the previous year’s competition.
By holding the event in a shopping mall, members of the public were able to experience an international lion dance competition without having to travel abroad. The event also served as a platform to promote sportsmanship, confidence, and friendship among athletes from different countries.
FOBI Supports Lion Dance Competitions in Public Spaces
General Chairman of FOBI, Edy Kusuma, expressed his appreciation to Mal Ciputra Jakarta, Kong Ha Hong, all participating teams, the panel of judges, the organizing committee, and everyone who supported the competition.
“The Barongsai International Competition 2026 demonstrates that lion dance continues to grow as a sport and is gaining an increasingly important place in society. I would like to express my appreciation to Mal Ciputra Jakarta, Kong Ha Hong, all participating teams, the judges, the organizing committee, and the public for their tremendous support,” Edy Kusuma said.
According to him, the participation of teams from different countries provided Indonesian lion dance athletes with a valuable opportunity to gain experience, measure their abilities, and raise their competitive standards.
“FOBI remains committed to supporting high-quality international competitions. Through events like this, Indonesian athletes can learn, compete, and develop alongside leading teams from other countries. We hope Indonesian lion dance athletes will continue to achieve greater success and proudly represent the nation on the world stage,” he added.
Secretary-General of FOBI, Hery Lim, also commended Mal Ciputra Jakarta’s commitment to supporting the development of lion dance through the competition.
According to Hery, shopping malls provide an effective venue for bringing lion dance closer to the public. Visitors can directly experience how a lion dance competition is organized and observe the athletes competing.
Holding the competition in a public space is also expected to encourage more people, particularly members of the younger generation, to discover and pursue lion dance as a competitive sport. Lion dance is currently included in the sports development system of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) and is contested at Indonesia’s National Sports Week (PON).
Fierce Competition Among Teams from Five Countries
The discipline contested at the Barongsai International Competition 2026 was High-Pole Lion Dance. This discipline requires athletes to demonstrate balance, coordination, precision, and teamwork while performing on elevated poles.
Each team performed twice and was evaluated by an experienced international panel of judges from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, China, and Malaysia. The competition was closely contested, with only narrow point differences separating several teams.
Thousands of visitors gathered around the competition area over the two-day event. Cheers from the audience accompanied every acrobatic movement and performance presented by the participating teams.
Based on the final standings, Guang Xi Xing Lion Troupe of Ting County from China secured first place with a total score of 18.72.
Second place was awarded to Kepong Hong Teck Dragon and Lion Dance Sport Association from Malaysia with a score of 18.61. Indonesia’s Kwan Tek Bio Lion Dance finished third with a total score of 18.48.
The final standings of the Barongsai International Competition 2026 are presented below:
In addition to Kwan Tek Bio Lion Dance, two other Indonesian representatives finished among the top six. Kong Ha Hong Team A secured fifth place, while Sian Djin Ku Po finished sixth.
Having three Indonesian teams among the top six demonstrated that the country’s lion dance athletes are capable of competing against high-quality international teams.
The Barongsai International Competition 2026 was more than an event to determine the winners. It also provided a platform for exchanging experience, strengthening international friendship, and introducing lion dance to the wider public as a competitive sport.
Mal Ciputra Jakarta, together with Kong Ha Hong and FOBI, hopes the competition will continue to be held and further develop into an international event that brings together more of the world’s leading lion dance athletes and teams.
