Chairperson of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Erick Thohir, has set his sights on victory for the Indonesian U-23 team in the upcoming 2025 ASEAN U-23 Championship, scheduled for July 15–29 in Jakarta and Bekasi.
Thohir made the statement on the official PSSI website following the group stage draw held in Bali on Friday. Indonesia has been placed in Group A alongside Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei Darussalam.
“Our target for the AFF U-23 Championship is to become the champion, as we were finalists two years ago,” Thohir said, referring to the tournament organized by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).
Indonesia previously won the tournament in 2019, when the team, coached by Indra Sjafri, defeated Thailand 2–1 in the final held in Cambodia.
Commenting on Group A, Thohir expressed enthusiasm about facing Malaysia again. The two teams last met in the 2023 edition of the tournament, where Indonesia suffered a 1–2 defeat in the Group B stage.
“I’ve missed seeing us play against our neighboring team. It’s been a while since we faced Malaysia. We must make sure that Gelora Bung Karno Stadium is packed. The Philippines are also a good team,” he added.
Thohir emphasized that the ASEAN U-23 Championship offers a valuable opportunity for head coach Gerald Vanenburg and his players to prepare for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in September.
Indonesia will host the Group J qualifiers from September 1–9, competing against South Korea, Laos, and Macau. Notably, Indonesia beat South Korea in the quarter-finals of the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar.
A total of 44 teams will compete in the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers. Divided into 11 groups, they will vie for 15 spots in the final tournament, which is set to take place in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.
All group winners will qualify automatically, while the four best runners-up will also advance.
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Translator: Zaro, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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