Indonesia Sets New Southeast Asian Benchmark in World Cup Quest

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia has surpassed Vietnam's and Thailand's earlier achievements in the third-round Asian after achieving a 2–0 victory over Saudi Arabia at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, on Tuesday.

Following Tuesday's victory, Indonesia is now placed third in the Group C preliminary standings of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, having collected six points from six matches, according to Asian Football Confederation (AFC) records.

With six points, Indonesia became the most successful Southeast Asian country in the history of the World Cup third-round Asian qualifiers, surpassing Vietnam and Thailand.

Earlier, in the third-round Group B Asian qualifiers of the 2022 World Cup, Vietnam secured four points from 10 matches, while Thailand obtained two points from 10 matches in the Group B Asian qualifiers of the 2018 World Cup.

Indonesia still has the potential to increase its achievement as the team, coached by Shin Tae-yong, has yet to play four matches in 2025. In its four remaining matches of the Group C Asian qualifiers, Indonesia will face Australia on March 20, Bahrain on March 25, China on June 5, and Japan on June 10.

Indonesia also has the opportunity to become the first Southeast Asian country to qualify for the fourth round of the World Cup qualifiers if it eventually finishes third or fourth in the final standings. Furthermore, Indonesia could return to the World Cup after its last time in the 1938 edition—during which the country was still known as the Dutch East Indies—if it manages to finish the qualifications in the top two positions. 

sumber : Antara