Indonesia struggles to find friendly opponents before facing Vietnam

Indonesia's squad has been in Bali since July 5th. They are currently holding training sessions at the Bali United Training Center located in Pantai Purnama as part of their preparations for the 2026 Asean Cup.

However, as of now, there are no indications that the Indonesian team will play any friendlies before the 2026 AFF Cup. So far, the squad has only conducted internal scrimmages.

Sumardji, the head of the PSSI’s National Team Agency (BTN), stated that several obstacles have prevented the team from arranging friendly matches. One reason is that Indonesian clubs have only just begun their preseason period.

"Since Indonesian clubs are only now entering their preseason phase, I cannot yet comment on any friendly match plans," Sumardji shared with Bola.

The Indonesian squad will continue their training camp in Bali. Sandy Walsh and his teammates are following various training programs designed by the coaching staff under head coach John Herdman.

Sumardji also mentioned that the team will return to Jakarta on July 25th before immediately launching their 2026 Asean Cup campaign. "On the morning of July 25th, the players will head back to Jakarta," Sumardji confirmed.

Indonesia faces several other challenges ahead of the 2026 Asean Cup, most notably the absence of many key players.

Stars such as Emil Audero, Jay Idzes, Maarten Paes, Kevin Diks, and Calvin Verdonk will not be released by their clubs for national team duty because the AFF Cup is not on the FIFA calendar.

Consequently, the Indonesian team will rely primarily on domestic league players to compete in the 2026 Asean Cup.

Recently, Indonesia has added another naturalized player to its squad. Mitchell Baker has officially obtained Indonesian citizenship. The 19-year-old took the oath of citizenship at the Indonesian Ministry of Justice office in Jakarta on July 13th.

After officially becoming an Indonesian citizen, Mitchell Baker shared his feelings. The forward, who has an ideal physique, stated that this was a moment he and his family had long awaited.

"I am extremely happy. This is a very proud moment for me and my family, including my relatives living in Indonesia.

I am truly delighted and can't wait to play for the Indonesian national team as soon as possible."

Mitchell Baker was born on December 11, 2006, in Melbourne, Australia. He has Indonesian heritage through his mother, Maureen Lee Baker. Baker's maternal side traces its roots to Yogyakarta and Semarang.

Baker's football journey began at age 10 with the Hong Kong Football Club, where he played for three years before returning to Australia to continue his development at Northcote City and Melbourne Victory.

Later, Baker moved to the United States to further his career with Black Rock FC at age 15, then played for Georgetown University's team while studying there. In early 2026, he was selected by Colorado Rapids through the MLS SuperDraft and is expected to join the club later this year.

The Chairman of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), Erick Thohir, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the support from Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, leaders of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Commissions X and XIII, the Ministry of Justice, particularly Minister of Justice Supratman Andi Agtas, and the Directorate General of Legal Administration (Ditjen AHU).

Mr. Erick Thohir stated: "PSSI sincerely thanks the tremendous support from President Prabowo, House leaders, and the leadership and members of Commissions X and XIII.

We also especially appreciate the Ministry of Justice, Minister Supratman Andi Agtas, and Mr. Widodo, Director General of Ditjen AHU, for facilitating the smooth process. The close coordination between the Government, Parliament, and the Football Association of Indonesia is clear evidence of our shared commitment to developing Indonesian football and elevating it to the international stage."