League football in Indonesia underwent a radical overhaul in 2004 as the football authorities in the world’s most populated Muslim nation finally found a format that worked in such a disparate country.

Previously, the top flight had featured as many as 34 teams from across the vast country – the top flight was divided into western and eastern divisions - with the top nations coming together at the end of the season in championship playoffs.

However, that format was scrapped in the 2004-2005 season when the league was streamlined to just 18 teams. Since then the season has been played from October through to its finale at the end of May with games played on a home-and-away basis.

Only the winners qualify for the Asian Champions League after dismal performances by clubs from Indonesia in the continental championship in recent years, while the runners-up progress to the tournament’s preliminary round.

At the other end of the table, the bottom three teams are relegated with the team in 15th place playing off against the fourth placed team from the second division to determine the line-up for the next season’s league campaign.

Persipura Jayapura from Papua in the far east of the country are the reigning champions, the club winning the title last season for the second time in four seasons.