Indonesian media doubt the quality of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026

Indonesian media question the caliber of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 after Pakistan and Bangladesh stepped in for the withdrawn guests. Yet, looking down on their rivals creates immense pressure on Indonesia, since they virtually must win the title to prove their standing.

The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is receiving significant attention in Indonesia ahead of its opening day. Besides the expectation that this will be an opportunity for regional teams to gain experience, some media and fans in the archipelago nation are skeptical about the tournament's professional quality.

SIF website asked "Coincidence or intentional?" after China and India successively withdrew. FIFA then selected Pakistan and Bangladesh as the two replacement teams, but this decision was not well received by the Indonesian media outlet.

According to SIF, apart from Hong Kong, most of the guest teams come from countries with large populations in Asia. The site argues that the selection criteria seem to favor market expansion potential over professional quality. Pakistan and Bangladesh are even noted to be only at a level comparable to Laos or Cambodia.

From there, SIF expressed doubts about the sustainability of the FIFA ASEAN Cup. The site questions whether the tournament can be maintained long-term if it does not generate the expected commercial results. At the same time, they believe that the ASEAN Hyundai Cup remains the most important platform for Southeast Asian football, a status established since 1996.

However, these low assessments of the opponents have actually increased the pressure on Indonesia. Another stream of opinion in the country asserts that the archipelago team "must win the championship."

Indonesia has the home advantage and is expected to assemble a strong squad, including many players currently playing in Europe. Given that most opponents are from Southeast Asia, along with Pakistan and Bangladesh, any result other than winning the championship could be considered a failure.

Indonesia has long been considered by its fans as one of the strongest teams in the region, but has never won the AFF Cup. Therefore, the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, starting on September 24, is seen as a major opportunity for the archipelago team to win their first official title, while also proving their claims about their status.