Indonesia U‑20 Returns Home After Securing 2027 Asian Cup Spot

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian U‑20 national team has returned home after clinching qualification for the 2027 AFC U‑20 Asian Cup. The Garuda Nusantara squad arrived at Soekarno‑Hatta International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, September 8, 2026.

The homecoming followed their success in Group H of the qualifiers, where Indonesia finished top after defeating Australia U‑20 by 2‑0 on Sunday, September 6.

Head coach Nova Arianto expressed gratitude for the achievement, praising the players, coaching staff, and officials for their collective effort. “I am very thankful we secured qualification. The players worked extraordinarily hard,” Nova said in a statement received by RRI.

He emphasized that the team’s success was built on months of preparation and collaboration across all elements. Nova, 46, added that qualifying for the Asian Cup provides a vital platform for the development of Indonesia’s young talents, while urging his squad to further sharpen their readiness for continental competition.

Indonesia completed the qualifiers unbeaten, collecting seven points from three matches without conceding a goal. They drew 0‑0 against Malaysia on August 31, then defeated Laos 3‑0 before sealing victory over Australia.

At the 2027 Asian Cup, Indonesia will be among the eight group winners advancing directly to the final tournament, a crucial step toward Asia’s youth football stage. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)