Jakarta. The Indonesian national football team is set to continue its quest for a spot in the 2026 World Cup finals as they face Bahrain in the third round of qualification at the Bahrain National Stadium on Thursday, at 11:00 p.m. Jakarta time.
Currently, Indonesia sits fourth in the qualification standings with two points from two matches, both of which ended in draws. Meanwhile, Bahrain has earned three points from two games, securing one win against Australia and one loss against Japan.
Only the top two teams will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup finals, while the third and fourth-place teams will advance to the next qualifying round. The fifth and sixth-place teams will be eliminated.
Facing Bahrain presents a challenging matchup for Indonesia. Historically, Bahrain leads with three wins out of seven encounters, while Indonesia has managed two victories. Their last meeting was on Feb. 29, 2012, during World Cup qualification, where Bahrain triumphed with a resounding 10-0 victory—one of the worst defeats in Indonesian football history.
In terms of FIFA rankings, Indonesia is significantly behind Bahrain, which is currently ranked 76th, while Indonesia stands at 129th, according to the latest rankings released on Sep. 19, 2024.
However, significant changes to the Garuda squad provide hope for the upcoming match. The increasing number of Indonesian players competing abroad, particularly in Europe, offers a vital advantage against Bahrain.
Indonesia's head coach, Shin Tae-yong, emphasized that the positive results in the first two matches of the third round of World Cup 2026 Asian qualifiers are not solely due to the contributions of naturalized players like Justin Hubner, Jay Idzes, and Maarten Paes. He said that the team's success reflects the hard work of all members, including local players such as Rizky Ridho, Marselino Ferdinan, and Witan Sulaeman.
"All players have contributed exceptionally well, not just the naturalized players. The entire team has given their best so far, allowing us to showcase optimal performance," Shin Tae-yong said at a press conference ahead of the match against Bahrain on Wednesday.
Shin also expressed hope that the arrival of newly naturalized players Mees Hilgers and Eliano Reijnders will strengthen his team's capabilities for the remaining four matches in the third round of World Cup 2026 qualification.
After their clubs, FC Twente and PEC Zwolle, completed their last Eredivisie matches on Sunday, Mees and Eliano promptly traveled to Bahrain. They arrived on Monday and immediately joined the team's training session.
"Mees Hilgers arrived yesterday after a long journey. He is focusing on recovery, and I hope he can perform well for the team," Shin Tae-yong said.
This season, both Mees and Eliano have been key players for their respective clubs. Mees has featured in 11 matches for Twente, scoring one goal and providing one assist, including a standout performance that helped secure a draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Europa League.
Meanwhile, Eliano has played five matches for Zwolle, starting three of them and completing the full 90 minutes in each. In separate statements, the two 23-year-olds expressed their enjoyment of their first-day training with the Indonesian national team.
