Bali Governor Opens 2026 National Gateball Tournament to Boost Sport Tourism

Bali Governor Wayan Koster officially opened the 2026 National Gateball Open Tournament for the Governor's Cup at GOR Ngurah Rai in Denpasar on August 6. This is the first tournament to be held for the Governor's Cup, running through August 8 as part of the celebrations marking the 68th anniversary of Bali Province.

The opening ceremony included a symbolic gateball strike by Governor Koster himself. The national-level competition features athletes from seven provinces, including host Bali, West Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Central Sulawesi, and the defending champion of the Ministry of Public Works Cup.

In his remarks, Koster emphasized that the tournament was designed not merely to pursue medals but to strengthen the integration between the region's sports and tourism sectors, describing it as part of the province's ongoing sport tourism development program.

Tournament committee chairman I Ketut Ariantana explained that this is the first time the total prize pool has reached Rp150 million across all categories, a significant increase from previous years when prizes were below Rp1 million. He also noted that holding the event from August 6 to 8 coincides closely with Bali Province's 68th anniversary on August 14.

This is a general sports and tourism event and does not directly affect the safety or daily life of foreign tourists or residents in Bali.