In the final round of the 2026 World Preliminary Championship Asian Zone 36 on June 11, the Indonesian team defeated the Philippines 2-0, thus winning the second place in Group F with a record of 3 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, and locked a ticket to the round of 18. It has to be said that after the Indonesian team successively broke into the knockout round of the Asian Cup and the round of 18, and the Indonesian Olympic team (U23 team) entered the top 4 of the U23 Asian Cup, the remarkable progress of Indonesian football has attracted the attention of international football. FIFA wrote on its official website on June 30: "Indonesian football heroes have more and more hope of qualifying for the World Preliminary Tournament. ”
Although in the first round of the round of 36, the Indonesian team lost 1-5 away to the Iraqi team due to inexperience, and suffered a "double kill" from the opponent in the whole stage of the event. However, Iraq was able to squeeze out Saudi Arabia and move into Pot 2 of the round of 18, proving that the team that won the 2007 Asian Cup is still a first-class team in Asia. It is actually normal for the Indonesian team to lose to such a team. In FIFA's view, the progress of Indonesian football is enough to make any opponent pay attention.
On the afternoon of May 9, local time, at the Clairefontaine base outside Paris, France, the Indonesian Olympic team, as the fourth team in the 6th U23 Asian Cup (the Asian final stage of the Paris Olympic preliminaries), played an intercontinental play-off match with the Guinean Olympic team, the fourth team in the African region of the Olympic preliminaries, in order to compete for the last ticket to the men's football main match of the Paris Olympic Games. In the end, the Guinean Olympic team had the last laugh with a penalty. However, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was watching the game, repeatedly comforted and encouraged the president of the Indonesian Football Association, Tohir, who was sitting next to him. Infantino said: "The Indonesian team did a very good job. I believe that Indonesian football will have a good future. ”
Infantino's words are not polite remarks. Since 2024, the speed of progress in Indonesian football can be described as "rapid". For example, they reached the knockout round of 16 at the new Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar, from January to February this year. More than two months later, at the same venue, the Indonesian Olympic team (U23 team) defeated the Australian Olympic team, the Jordan Olympic team, and the South Korean Olympic team in the 6th Asian Cup. Although they were defeated by the better Uzbekistan Olympic team and Iraq team in the semi-finals and 3/4 finals respectively, the development potential of Indonesian football, especially the optimization of personnel strength, has been affirmed by the AFC, FIFA and various opponents. "Indonesian football now needs to rely on an international competition platform to achieve higher dreams," said Tohir. ”
As mentioned in a FIFA article on June 30, the 2026 World Cup is the stage that Thohir is looking forward to. "The World Cup, the highest stage in global football, is opening its doors to more teams, especially those that are usually difficult to play in the tournament, as the World Cup finals have expanded to 48 teams," FIFA said. The Indonesian team is one of them. ”
FIFA later commented: "Since 1938, when they competed as the Dutch East Indies team, the island nation team has not been able to return to the biggest party in football." However, it is very possible that they are ending the 88-year wait through this World Preliminary Championship, because the 'Red and White Army (Indonesian)' has entered the third stage of the Asian World Preliminary Championship for the first time in 10 years. ”
Of course, FIFA also objectively analyzes the difficulties and challenges faced by the Indonesian team in the process of impacting the 2026 World Cup. FIFA wrote: "Even if they finish third or fourth in the group [round of 18] to reach the next stage of the World Preliminary Tournament, it will be very difficult for the Indonesian team. You must know that the Indonesian team has a low international ranking in FIFA, more than 100 places lower than the Japanese team and the Australian team in the same group. ”
However, FIFA gave the Indonesian team more encouragement. The FIFA article reads: "The Indonesian team has proven that they have considerable potential and quality. South Korea's Shin Tae-ryong Indonesia's squad features talented young players such as Marcelino Ferdinand, Lizki Lido and Vitan Suleiman, as well as experienced players such as Jordy Armart, Thom Haye and Walsh. These players are the most decorated players for Indonesia to reach the knockout stage of the Asian Cup, or for Indonesia's U23 team to reach the semi-finals of the U23 Asian Cup. ”
FIFA also believes that one of the main reasons for the growing optimism of the Indonesian team and Indonesian fans is that South Korean coach Shin Tae-ryong has given them more confidence. "Off the pitch, Shin Tae-ryong has had a very positive impact on Indonesian football since he took office in 2020 (as coach of the South Korean team and the South Korean U23 team)," FIFA commented. With his coaching ability and stable mental quality, the Indonesian team has risen nearly 40 places in the international rankings. Jay Izes, the main defender of the Indonesian team, said: "Optimism is running high in Indonesian football before the start of the third stage of the World Preliminary Tournament (Round of 18). I will fully cooperate with the head coach and help the Indonesian team become a respected team on the global stage." This is what we are striving for with all our might, and we are trying to make Indonesia a football nation. I think there have been several generations of Indonesian football before us, and they have worked tirelessly. It also provides us with a huge incentive to strive for higher goals. ”
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Xiao Yun
Editor/Xu Zhao