Editorial
Recent failures can be attributed to years of mismanagement of the national team by the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), whose officials are apparently more focused on politics off the pitch rather than the advancement of the sport itself.
Indonesia's wingers Thom Haye (left) and Beckham Putra (right) react after their defeat to Vietnam in the Group A match of the ASEAN Championship 2026 at the Pakansari Stadium in Bogor regency, West Java on Aug. 3, 2026. Vietnam beat Indonesia 3-0. (Antara/Bayu Pratama S.)
It has been barely a month since the euphoria, and sometimes rage and confusion, of the World Cup 2026 in North America subsided. Yet, Indonesian soccer fans are already in despair again.The anguish has come from the national men’s soccer team, which failed to advance to the semifinals of this year’s ASEAN Championship, formerly known as the AFF Cup. Despite entering the regional tournament as a team that had reached the fourth round of World Cup qualification, the team managed wins against Cambodia and Timor-Leste, before suffering a defeat by Vietnam and only sing a draw against Singapore.
This year’s early exit from the competition marked Indonesia’s second back-to-back group stage elimination in the competition, prolonging the wait for at least another two years before the team can chase again its first ASEAN trophy.
