Indonesia's Fixture for the World Cup Qualifiers Starts with Saudi Arabia, Australia

Jaja Suteja
September 3, 2024 | 3:33 pm

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Indonesian players celebrate a goal in the World Cup qualifying match against the Philippines at Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. (B-Universe Photo/Joanito De Saojoao)

Jakarta. The Indonesian national football team is set to begin its campaign in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, where they will face Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Under the guidance of coach Shin Tae-yong, the Garuda Squad will first face Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on Thursday, Sept. 5, or early Friday at 1:00 a.m. Jakarta time. The team will then return home to play against Australia at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

Indonesia is placed in Group C alongside Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia, Bahrain, and China. Among these teams, only Indonesia and Bahrain have yet to appear in the World Cup finals. The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

In a positive development ahead of the qualifiers, Dallas FC goalkeeper Maarten Paes has been cleared to play for the Indonesian national team. Paes received official approval from FIFA following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Paes had pledged his allegiance to Indonesia in late May but was initially deemed ineligible by FIFA due to his previous appearance for the Netherlands U-21 team at the age of 22. FIFA rules stipulate that players who have competed for a national team at a competitive level above the age of 21 cannot switch national teams.

Following the CAS ruling on Thursday, Aug. 15, Paes, now 26, is eligible to represent Indonesia in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, starting on Sept. 5.

Indonesia advanced to the third round of the Asian qualifiers after finishing as the runner-up in Group F, behind Iraq. Vietnam and the Philippines were eliminated from the group.

After hosting Australia, Indonesia will play four more home matches: against Japan on Nov. 14, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 19, Bahrain on March 25, 2025, and China on June 5, 2025.

The top two teams from the third round will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The third and fourth-placed teams will compete in the next round for the remaining qualification spots.

Here is the schedule for the third round of Group C in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers:

September 5, 2024