Saudi Arabia - Indonesia: Extending the World Cup Dream

According to the schedule, Indonesia will play the host Saudi Arabia in the first match, followed by a game against Iraq on October 12th. These two matches are crucial for coach Patrick Kluivert’s squad in their quest for Indonesia’s first-ever World Cup finals qualification.

Indonesia concluded the third round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers with 3 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses in 10 matches, earning 12 points and ranking 4th, seven points behind second-placed Australia in Group C. They hold a better head-to-head record against Australia from round 3, having drawn 1-1 away and causing an upset with a 2-0 win at home.

However, Saudi Arabia has historically dominated, winning 11 out of 14 encounters against Indonesia.

Indonesia made history by reaching the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers. Now, the Garuda are sprinting towards their dream of qualifying for next summer’s tournament in North America. A draw is considered the main objective for coach Patrick Kluivert’s team.

Saudi Arabia is a strong team in Asia, having participated in six World Cups. Their greatest achievement was reaching the Round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup. In the last two World Cups (2018 and 2022), they were among the Asian representatives. Notably, in both campaigns, Saudi Arabia qualified through home matches in the qualifiers.

Saudi Arabia finished third in Group C of the third round. Drawing too many matches (4) allowed Japan and Australia to surpass them.

After a 0-2 defeat in Jakarta against this opponent, coach Renard learned valuable lessons and implemented tactical changes. Saudi Arabia performed well at the CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer. Last month, they also had positive friendlies, beating North Macedonia 2-1 and drawing 1-1 with the Czech Republic.

As the host of this qualifying phase, Saudi Arabia is rated higher than their opponents. Additionally, coach Herve Renard’s team enjoys a favorable schedule in a group of three teams. Conversely, Indonesia faces the toughest schedule, playing two matches within three days early on.

If they top the group, Saudi Arabia will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup. But finishing second in Group B means they must enter the fifth round, where runners-up face off for a chance to enter the intercontinental playoff.

Both Indonesia and Iraq could pose significant challenges in Saudi Arabia’s race to qualify for football’s biggest event. If the “Green Falcons” fail to reach the 2026 World Cup, it would be a huge shock, especially considering the investments made in Saudi football.

Over the past three years, Saudi domestic football has flourished with a wave of global stars arriving, and Saudi clubs like Al Hilal reaching the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16, and Al Ahli winning the AFC Champions League Elite. In the last two Asian Elite seasons, Saudi Arabia had three representatives in the competition.

In this match, Indonesia faces some difficulties as their star goalkeeper Audero is absent due to injury. Meanwhile, European-returned stars like Idzes, Diks, and Verdonk have had very limited training time with the team.

Against a stronger opponent with home advantage, coach Patrick Kluivert is likely to adopt a defensive strategy. With Indonesia’s controlled approach, Saudi Arabia is expected to find it hard to break through the opponent’s well-organized and high-quality defense.

According to the fourth round format, only the group winner qualifies directly for the 2026 World Cup, the runner-up advances to the fifth round for a playoff spot, and the third-placed team is eliminated.

The highly anticipated match between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia will kick off at 00:15 on October 9th. Coach Patrick Kluivert’s team is predicted to face tough challenges against the hosts.

Expected lineups of the two teams:

Indonesia: Argawinata; Ridho, Idzes, Hubner; Sayuri, Haye, Pelupessy, Verdonk; Vikri, Sananta, Kambuaya

Saudi Arabia: Al-Aqidi; Al-Amri, Boushal, Al-Tambakti, Al-Harbi; Al-Dawsari, Kanno, Al-Hassan, Ali; Al-Shehri, Al-Buraikan