RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian women’s national hockey team is set to face Kazakhstan in their opening match of Pool B in the 2026 Asian Games Qualifiers.

The match will take place at Gelora Bung Karno Hockey Field, Jakarta, on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

Head coach of the team, Muhammad Dhaarma Raj, confirmed that his team has been preparing since the beginning of the year.

“We have been preparing since January and the players are ready to face Kazakhstan,” Dhaarma said on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

Dhaarma said the meeting against Kazakhstan will be the third encounter between the two teams in recent years. Previously, Indonesia suffered a 1-2 defeat to Kazakhstan at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Indonesia managed to avenge that loss with a 2-0 victory at the 2025 Central Asia Championship in Tashkent. Dhaarma, however, stressed that previous results cannot be used as a benchmark for this match.

“We have beaten each other before, but those results cannot be used as a reference. What is certain is that we will face a tough match against Kazakhstan, who will compete at full strength,” he said.

Team captain Selly F said the squad is ready after undergoing intensive training over the past few months. “We have carried out quite intensive training, in terms of physical, technical, and strategic aspects,” she said.

Selly also admitted that the team has studied the opponent’s strengths and playing patterns to be better prepared. “Every match is a challenge and an opportunity to show our best abilities,” she added.

Despite the pressure, the team is determined to deliver maximum results to make the Indonesian public proud. “We will fight and make the most of every opportunity to achieve victory,” Selly further said.

This qualification serves as an important pathway for the team to secure a place at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya. The top six teams will qualify and compete in Asia’s largest multi-sport event.

Indonesia is placed in Pool B alongside Singapore, Kazakhstan, and Sri Lanka in this tournament. Meanwhile, Pool A consists of Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh.

The 2026 Asian Games Qualifiers Matches, Thursday, April 23, 2026:

Hong Kong vs Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan vs Indonesia

Chinese Taipei vs Bangladesh

Singapore vs Sri Lanka.

(Diffa Sephiawardhani/Sri Wahyuni)