Three years after the Kanjuruhan stadium tragedy that killed 135 fans, Indonesian football is on the brink of its biggest breakthrough in decades. Team Garuda has reached the final round of Asian World Cup qualifiers, just two matches away from securing a place at the 2026 finals in North America.
Indonesia will face Saudi Arabia on October 8 and Iraq on October 14 in a playoff staged in Jeddah, with the group winner earning direct qualification. Victories over China, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in earlier rounds, along with a draw against Australia, have already marked historic progress.
Much of the turnaround has been driven by the naturalisation of European-born players of Indonesian heritage and the appointment of Patrick Kluivert as head coach in January. The former Dutch star has overseen key wins despite some setbacks, including a heavy loss to Japan.
A World Cup berth would be Indonesia’s first since competing as the Dutch East Indies in 1938. It would also inject optimism into a domestic football scene still grappling with safety reforms, fan bans, and financial instability following the 2022 disaster.
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