Persib Beat The Cong-Viettel, Indonesian League Climbs Three Places in AFC Ranking

Persib Bandung secured a narrow 1-0 win over Vietnamese side The Cong-Viettel in the continuation of Group E of the AFC Champions League (ACL) Two 2026/2027 at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung Regency, Wednesday (14/10/2026) evening WIB. Mariano Peralta's lone goal from a penalty in the 45th minute proved the difference in a tightly contested match.

The result places Persib at the top of the provisional Group E standings with six points from two matches, following their previous win. The dominance of Thom Haye and his teammates in the group stage not only affects their chances of advancing to the next round but also contributes significantly to the ranking of the Indonesian League competition in Asia.

According to Footy Rankings calculations, the additional points from Persib's win lifted the Indonesian League three places to 17th in the AFC Competition Ranking 2027 with a total of 27,759 points. This achievement pushed Oman down to 18th and Cambodia to 19th. The rise is a positive signal for national football, which is striving to improve its competitiveness at the regional level.

The points contribution did not come from Persib alone. Borneo FC Samarinda, competing in the AFC Challenge League (ACGL), also contributed 1,500 points. The accumulation from both clubs, plus points from the play-off round, produced a total of 3,950 points for the 2026/2027 season. AFC coefficient regulations combine and average each club's points to determine the competition ranking.

"This win is proof that Indonesian clubs can compete at the Asian level. However, to truly raise the ranking, consistency is needed from all representatives," said a national football analyst, as quoted from an online discussion.

Despite the improvement, the Indonesian League still trails four neighboring leagues in Southeast Asia. Thailand stands firm in 7th place, followed by Malaysia (10), Vietnam (14), and Singapore (15). This gap shows that the domestic competition must continue to improve its quality, both in terms of infrastructure, club management, and performance in Asian inter-club tournaments.

Going forward, Persib will face decisive remaining Group E matches. If they can maintain their performance, it is not impossible for the Indonesian League to break into the top 15. However, the biggest challenge is maintaining the consistency of other clubs in Asian competitions, especially Borneo FC, which is still fighting in the ACGL. Will Indonesian football be able to seize this momentum to break ASEAN's dominance? Time will tell, but the first step has been taken.