ASEAN Cup 2026: Is Indonesia the Biggest Threat to the Vietnam National Team?

The Indonesian national team has seen significant changes ahead of the 2026 ASEAN Cup, both in terms of quality and depth. They are set to be Vietnam's foremost competitor in the regional competition this year.

Although Indonesia has never won the AFF Cup (now the ASEAN Cup), they have never entered the tournament with as much confidence as this year. During the more than two weeks of preparation for the 2026 ASEAN Cup, from the Chairman of the Indonesian National Team Agency (BTN) Sumardjicho to players like Thom Haye, they have all expressed a clear ambition: to win the first championship in history.

Indonesia is completely different from two years ago

These are not just morale-boosting statements. Behind this confidence lies a team that has noticeably changed in both personnel and playing style. Based on what they have shown, Indonesia is likely to be the biggest challenge for Vietnam in the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

First, Indonesia has received significant investment in its squad for the upcoming Southeast Asian tournament. Recall that in the 2024 AFF Cup, Indonesia fielded a team mainly composed of players under 22 due to difficulties in summoning players. As an inevitable result, Indonesia failed to advance past the group stage of the 2024 AFF Cup.

Despite the failure at the 2024 AFF Cup, it is clearly impossible to judge the strength of the archipelago team based on that regional tournament. Remember, with their strongest lineup, Indonesia reached the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia.

In the 2026 ASEAN Cup, the archipelago team will present a completely different image. To prepare for the upcoming tournament, Indonesia's current head coach, John Herdman, has called up as many as 50 players for a training camp in Bali, later filtering them down to select the final 23.

Notably, this list includes mostly players who play in Indonesia, including overseas Indonesian stars. Thus, it is highly likely that the Indonesian national team will have a strong squad for the 2026 ASEAN Cup, completely different from two years ago.

Winger Ragnar Oratmangoen, who previously played in the Netherlands, now plays for the Indonesian club Persib Bandung. Similarly, midfielder Thom Haye, a former midfielder for Heerenveen, has also moved to Persib Bandung. Both are quality overseas Indonesian players and are likely to participate in the 2026 ASEAN Cup. Their presence will significantly strengthen the Indonesian team.

Change under Coach John Herdman

Another factor that makes Indonesia truly formidable, besides the list of naturalized players or squad depth, lies in their on-field performances. Last June, Indonesia defeated Oman 3-0 and then beat Mozambique 1-0 in a series of FIFA Day friendlies.

Oman is currently ranked 79th in the FIFA rankings and once reached the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia. However, against Oman, Herdman's Indonesia averaged 56% ball possession.

One important point is that Indonesia will not have as strong a squad for the 2026 ASEAN Cup as they did in the two friendlies mentioned above. Nevertheless, the archipelago team cannot be underestimated, especially under the guidance of John Herdman, the former coach of the Canadian national team. The English coach applies a flexible 3-4-3 system, where Indonesian players interchange positions, creating a versatile tactical approach.

The 51-year-old English manager has experience in major tournaments, having impressed during his tenure with the Canadian national team and helping them qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

After being appointed to lead the Indonesian national team in December 2025, Herdman has won 3 out of 4 matches in charge. In addition to the two victories mentioned earlier, the former Canada coach helped the archipelago team beat Saint Kitts & Nevis 4-0 and only lost 0-1 to Bulgaria during the friendly window in March this year.

With the factors mentioned above, many figures in Indonesian football believe this is the right time for the archipelago team to end their title drought at the ASEAN Cup.

"So far, our country has never enjoyed the joy of winning the AFF Cup at the national team level. Therefore, I think 2026 is the perfect opportunity," affirmed BTN Chairman Sumardji. Midfielder Thom Haye also did not hide his ambition: "We play to win the championship."

Overall, Indonesia enters the 2026 ASEAN Cup with a completely different image compared to two years ago. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Indonesia is the number one rival for the Vietnam national team in the race for the championship at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.