Indonesia National Team's Middle East Friendlies at Risk, PSSI to Decide in 1-2 Days
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- PSSI menyatakan rencana dua laga uji coba Timnas Indonesia melawan negara Timur Tengah pada FIFA Matchday November 2026 terancam batal akibat eskalasi konflik di kawasan tersebut.
- Ketua PSSI Erick Thohir menyoroti serangan Yordania ke Suriah dan gelombang rudal Houthi ke Arab Saudi sebagai faktor risiko keselamatan yang tidak bisa diabaikan.
- Keputusan final dijadwalkan dalam 1-2 hari ke depan dengan mempertimbangkan koordinasi lintas pemerintah untuk menjamin keamanan pemain.
The Indonesia national team's plan to sharpen its game against two Middle Eastern countries on the November 2026 FIFA Matchday is hanging by a thread. PSSI chairman Erick Thohir said escalating security in the region has forced the federation to reconsider the friendly agenda that was originally part of preparations for the 2027 Asian Cup.
According to Erick, the situation in the Middle East has worsened in recent weeks. He referred to Jordan's strike on Syria on Monday (26/10/2026), triggered by a shooting incident at a house of worship. Earlier, Saudi Arabia—which will host the 2027 Asian Cup—was also hit by a wave of missile and drone attacks from the Yemen-based Houthi group. This condition means PSSI cannot guarantee the squad's safety if it still travels there.
"The situation in the Middle East is very concerning. We are quite worried because the two opponents we hoped would be part of our 2027 Asian Cup preparations are in an unstable region," Erick said in Jakarta on Wednesday (28/10/2026), after attending the gala premiere of the documentary film The Longest Wait.
Erick was reluctant to disclose the identities of the two countries originally scheduled as opponents. However, he stressed that a decision on the fate of the friendlies would be made shortly. "Maybe in the next 1-2 days we have to decide what it will look like," he added. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation with the government to ensure player safety is the top priority.
Cancelling the Middle East friendlies would be a blow to the Indonesia national team's long-term preparations. From the start, PSSI has set reaching the 2030 World Cup as its big mission. Asian zone qualifiers begin in September 2027, so every international break is a golden opportunity to gauge the squad's strength, especially against the playing style of West Asian teams known for being physical and tactical.
If the November agenda is cancelled, PSSI must find alternative opponents with a similar profile. Options in Southeast Asia or East Asia could serve as substitutes, but their quality may not be on par. The federation also faces limited time to arrange logistics and negotiate with other associations. On the other hand, the decision to cancel the visit shows that security factors cannot be compromised, in line with common practice in international football.
Several observers consider PSSI's move to delay the decision a reasonable, cautious stance. They remind that FIFA and confederations usually provide safety guidance, but the final decision remains with the national federation. If the situation worsens, it is not impossible that the friendlies could be moved to a neutral venue or cancelled entirely. However, as of this news being published, there is no official information about replacement countries.
What is clear is that in the coming week, Indonesian football fans will be waiting for the direction of PSSI's policy. Will the federation choose to look for opponents in a safer region, or insist on the Middle East agenda while monitoring geopolitical developments? It all depends on the outcome of coordination with the government and security authorities. One thing is certain: preparations for the 2030 World Cup must not lose momentum just because of turmoil off the pitch.
