What are Indonesia's chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup?

What was the draw for the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers?

The results of the draw for the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers placed Indonesia in Group B alongside Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The qualification format, which employs a centralized host system, means that the matches against Saudi Arabia and Iraq will feel like twin finals for Indonesia.

Iraq is certainly a tough opponent to beat, while the "Garuda" team should not underestimate the new face of Saudi Arabia.

Indonesia has a good record in meetings with Saudi Arabia in the third round. From two home and away matches, Indonesia held Saudi Arabia to a 1-1 draw at their home ground. Meanwhile, when hosting Saudi Arabia, the Garuda team successfully secured full points with a 2-0 victory in Jakarta.

Iraq remains a team that is difficult for Indonesia to compete against, as they have consistently lost in the second round encounters. In the first match held at Iraq's home ground, Indonesia lost 1-5. The Garuda team suffered another defeat, losing 0-2 while playing in Jakarta.

How is the competitive constellation in the fourth round?

The fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers is held in a mini-tournament format with a centralized host country. Six teams will be divided into two groups. Each team will play twice. Only the group winners are entitled to qualify directly.

Thus, Indonesia must inevitably win two matches against Saudi Arabia and Iraq. "All countries that qualify (for the fourth round) have a strong ambition to advance to the World Cup. They are teams that have the capability to compete with one another. We will improve ourselves to prepare for the exciting opponents in October," said Indonesia's Coach Patrick Kluivert after the match against Japan.

The ambition to qualify is also proclaimed by Qatar's coach, Julen Lopetegui. The former coach of Real Madrid and the Spanish national team aims to be the first tactician to lead Qatar to the main stage of the World Cup through the qualification route. Qatar is the strongest team in the fourth round.

"Qatar has never qualified through the qualification route, and we will strive to qualify in October. This team has the potential to compete with the presence of a new generation in the squad," said Lopetegui to the FIFA website.

What was the condition of the Indonesian national team like when Patrick Kluivert was in charge?

The defeat to Japan, which was very absolute, indicates that the Indonesian national team is still far from the quality of world teams. The less than four-month gap since that defeat leading to the fourth round is a crucial time to address all the shortcomings of the Garuda team.

Indonesia's coach Patrick Kluivert has met the minimum target to advance to the fourth round. The Garuda squad accumulated 12 points from 10 matches with three wins, three draws, and four losses. A record of nine goals scored and 20 goals conceded characterized Indonesia's performance in the third round.

When comparing the influence of Kluivert with the performance of Shin Tae-yong, who has led in six matches, both coaches have each garnered six points. Kluivert achieved two wins and two losses, while Shin secured one victory, three draws, and two defeats.

In comparing the final results, there are clearly positive and negative aspects between Kluivert and Shin. Therefore, it is only fitting that both coaches receive equal appreciation for leading Indonesia to make new history in its journey in the World Cup qualifiers.

Although Indonesia has already secured a ticket to the fourth round, there is still much homework that Kluivert and his coaching staff need to address in order to fulfill Indonesia's grand dream of qualifying for the main stage of the 2026 World Cup.

At the very least, the issues of offense and defense must be addressed by the Dutch tactician for Rizky Ridho and his teammates as they head into the fourth round in October.

How far does the quality level of the Indonesian national team compare to the regular World Cup teams?

A crushing defeat of 0-6 against Japan serves as a benchmark for the Garuda squad's ability to prepare for the fourth round. The Garuda team learned important lessons from the match that took place in Japan on June 10, 2025, at the Suita City Football Stadium, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

Indonesia lost everything in Suita. Fielding a squad built through a naturalization program over the past two years, the Garuda team failed to score against Japan. As a result, no Indonesian player has been able to conquer the defense of the "Blue Samurai" in Japan.

Indonesia's coach Patrick Kluivert acknowledged that Japan excels in every aspect over Indonesia. According to him, Japan displayed an excellent performance both individually and as a team.

"Japan is a team that possesses a lot of quality and presents a World Cup level of play. This is a very important lesson for me personally as a coach, as well as for our team in facing the fourth round," said Kluivert at the press conference following the match.