Indonesia Eyes ASEAN Futsal Semifinals with Revamped Squad

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is entering the 2026 ASEAN Futsal Championship in Thailand with a refreshed squad and a focus on performance, as head coach Hector Souto sets a semifinal target while emphasizing player development over results.

The tournament, scheduled for April 5-13, 2026, will see Indonesia competing in Group A alongside Australia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Brunei Darussalam. Indonesia will open its campaign against Brunei on April 6, followed by Malaysia on April 7, and Australia on April 8.

Despite aiming for the semifinals, Souto stressed that strong performances matter more than outcomes. “I want us to reach the semifinal, but even if we don’t, if we play well, I will be satisfied,” he said during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, March 31, as quoted by Antara. He added that match results can be unpredictable and do not always reflect a team’s effort.

To prepare for the competition, Souto has called up 19 players currently undergoing a training camp ahead of departure to Thailand. Notably, the squad differs significantly from the one that reached the final of the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup two months ago, with only two players, Dewa Rizki and Yogi Saputra, retained.

Souto said the selection is part of a broader effort to give players opportunities to prove themselves in competitive matches rather than friendlies. “My target is to give them a chance to prove themselves in real competition,” he added.

With limited preparation time, Souto acknowledged that the team has only introduced basic tactical systems. “We must be careful not to overload them. I think we are doing well, but we only have four days left,” he further said.

Indonesia enters the tournament as the defending champion, having won the 2024 edition after defeating Vietnam 2-0 in the final. The victory marked the team’s second ASEAN title after its first in 2010. ***