OFFICIAL: Indonesia Appoints New Coach with Three World Cup Appearances

English coach John Herdman has officially been named by PSSI as the head coach of Indonesia, carrying the ambition to help Indonesia reach new heights in Asia with his experience of three World Cup participations.

The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has formally appointed John Herdman as the head coach of the Indonesian national team. The English strategist was approved during the PSSI Executive Committee (Exco) meeting on the evening of December 18, 2025. The official announcement is planned to be released after the conclusion of the 2025 SEA Games.

Sources from Jakarta indicate that Herdman might take charge of both the senior national team and the U23 squad, but contract details and the exact scope of his responsibilities will be confirmed later.

Herdman’s appointment is considered a historic turning point for Indonesian football. At 50 years old, he is among the few coaches worldwide who have led three different teams to qualify for the World Cup, a rare achievement in coaching careers.

John Herdman’s career began with New Zealand’s women’s national team. In 2007, he helped them qualify for the Women’s World Cup by winning all matches in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) qualifiers. Four years later, he repeated the feat by leading New Zealand to win the 2010 OFC Women’s Championship with a crushing 11-0 victory over Papua New Guinea in the final.

In 2011, Herdman moved to coach Canada’s women’s team and immediately guided them to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics, later leading them to the 2015 Women’s World Cup hosted in Canada, where the team reached the quarterfinals.

The peak of Herdman’s career came when he led Canada’s men’s national team to the 2022 World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Although they were eliminated in the group stage, bringing Canada back to the world stage confirmed the English coach’s talent and strategic vision.

With an impressive resume and a modern football philosophy, John Herdman’s arrival is anticipated to bring fresh energy and help Indonesian football move closer to the World Cup dream.