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The Indonesian Football Association unveiled a league system on Thursday that is both a new beginning for the domestic game and a return to an old format.

After disbanding the Indonesian Super League and the rebel Indonesian Premier League, the association, known as the PSSI, formed a new two-tier professional competition.

The top level, provisionally named Level 1, will consist of two conferences — West and East — with 16 clubs in each. There will be 48 clubs in Level 2, divided into four conferences.

After assessing 68 clubs that applied for the new league, Sihar Sitorus, the PSSI competition committee chairman, said 34 were eligible for Level 1. That means two clubs will be demoted before the league even starts.

“We will reassess the 34 clubs and the two that have the worst stadiums will be demoted to Level 2,” he said.

The rest of the clubs will play in the second tier. But the league still needs 10 more clubs to meet the quota of 48 teams. Sihar said the PSSI would have another registration to find the 10 clubs.

He added that no Indonesian teams met the Asian Football Confederation’s standards for professional club status, with most failing on financial grounds.

“No clubs were able to pay the Rp 5 billion [$585,000] cash deposit required, so we’re thinking of cutting the deposit requirement to Rp 3 billion,” he said

Both leagues, he said, are expected to kick off on October.

The PSSI used the same two-tier league system from 2003 to 2007. In 2008 the association switched to a single league system to comply with Asian Football Confederation rules, which said domestic leagues must include just one professional division with a maximum of 20 teams.

Sihar defended the PSSI’s decision to go back to the old format, saying that it was for the sake of efficiency.

However, he said, the PSSI would report the decision to the AFC on Sept. 3 and would wait for the region’s football governing body’s decision on the matter.

Level 1 candidates:

Persipura, Arema, Persija, Semen Padang, Sriwijaya FC, Persisam, Persib, Persiwa, Persela, Persiba, PSPS, Pelita Jaya, Deltras, Persijap, Bontang FC, Persema, Persibo, PSM, Mitra Kukar, Persiraja, PSMS, Pro Duta FC, Persik, PSIS, PSCS, Persikota, Persis, Persiba, Persebaya, PS Barito Putra, PSS, PSIR, PS Bengkulu, Persipasi

Level 2 candidates:

PSAP, Persita, Persik, Persitara, Persikabo, PSLS, PSSB, Persires, Persiram, Gresik United, Perseman, PSIM, Persikab, Persemalra, PPSM, Persidafon, PSBI, Persigo, Persiku, Persipro, Perseru, PSMP, PSBS, Persibul, Persepam, PSBL, Persinjai, Madiun Putra, Persewangi, Persip, PSBK, KSB, Persetema, Persid, Persepar, PSGL