2026 World Cup: What Indonesia needs to qualify for the tournament

The Indonesian national team defeated China in the ninth round of the third stage of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

With this victory, Indonesia has secured a spot in the next qualifying round—the fourth stage. Our editorial team breaks down what lies ahead for the Indonesians.

The road ahead for Team Indonesia

In the next round, six teams that finished third and fourth in their third-stage groups will compete.

These six sides will be split into two groups. All matches will be played at a single location in a round-robin format, with each team facing every other in their group. The two group winners will earn direct tickets to the 2026 World Cup. The runners-up will advance to the fifth qualifying stage.

• See also: COSAFA Cup 2025: Schedule, results, and tournament table

The fifth round is the final step in Asia’s qualification campaign. Here, teams will play home-and-away ties, and the winner will have the chance to fight for the last 2026 World Cup berth in the intercontinental playoffs.

Indonesia’s potential opponents

Several teams have already booked their place in the fourth round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Among them are:

• UAE
• Qatar
• Iraq

Two more teams will be determined after the final matches of the third round. Notably, Indonesia will face Japan in their last match on Tuesday, June 10.

For the record: Indonesia has never qualified for the World Cup finals in its history. In the previous qualifying campaign, the team didn’t even make it to the third round.

For reference, the 2026 World Cup will be held across three countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The final tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. For the first time ever, 48 teams will compete at the World Cup, instead of the usual 32.