ASEAN Cup 2026: Indonesia – The biggest challenge for the Vietnam national team

According to a reporter from the Vietnam News Agency in Jakarta, despite never having won the Southeast Asian football championship (ASEAN Cup – formerly the AFF Cup), Indonesia enters this year's tournament with unprecedented confidence. Over more than two weeks of preparation, from the Chairman of the Indonesian National Team Agency, Sumardji, to players like Thom Haye, all have publicly stated their goal of securing the first title in history. Unlike the ASEAN Cup 2024, where Indonesia mainly fielded U22 players due to the inability to call up key regulars and was eliminated in the group stage, the "Archipelago" team now boasts a significantly stronger squad. In fact, their poor performance at the 2024 ASEAN Cup does not reflect Indonesia's true strength. With their strongest lineup, the team once reached the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia, thereby demonstrating remarkable progress in recent years.

To prepare for the ASEAN Cup 2026, head coach John Herdman called up as many as 50 players for a training camp in Bali before trimming the squad to 23. Notably, the majority of the current squad consists of domestic-based players, including several Indonesian-born stars who have recently returned to play for clubs in the national league. The most prominent are Ragnar Oratmangoen and Thom Haye. After years of playing in the Netherlands, both have joined Persib Bandung and are highly likely to feature in the ASEAN Cup 2026. The return of these experienced European-based players is expected to elevate the strength of the Indonesian national team.

Indonesia has not only undergone personnel changes but also left a clear mark under coach John Herdman. The English manager, who previously led Canada to the 2022 World Cup, has introduced a modern playing style with a flexible 3-4-3 system, where players frequently switch positions and transition quickly. Recent results show Indonesia's evident progress. During the FIFA Days in June, the "Archipelago" team successively defeated Oman 3-0 and Mozambique 1-0. Notably, against Oman – a team that reached the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia and is ranked 79th by FIFA – Indonesia still controlled 56% of possession, demonstrating dominance in both tactics and approach. Since his appointment in December 2025, Herdman has won 3 out of 4 matches in charge. Besides the victories over Oman and Mozambique, Indonesia also beat Saint Kitts & Nevis 4-0 and only lost 0-1 to Bulgaria in a friendly series in March.

Indonesian experts believe this is the right time for the national team to end their decades-long trophy drought. Overall, Indonesia enters the ASEAN Cup 2026 with a completely different look compared to two years ago. The combination of quality naturalized players, a well-invested squad, and the tactical imprint of coach John Herdman makes the "Archipelago" team a strong candidate for the championship. If the Vietnam national team wants to successfully defend their Southeast Asian crown, Indonesia will likely be the biggest challenge that coach Kim Sang Sik and his players must overcome on their journey to win a fourth title in history.