Indonesia eye historic first title in FIFA ASEAN Cup final against Thailand

Indonesian fans are among the most passionate in Southeast Asia, but they have rarely had the chance to celebrate a title with the national team.

Gold medals at the 1987 and 1991 SEA Games remain their most notable achievements, but neither came with a cup.

Indonesia have even been labelled the region’s "kings of second place" after losing all six Southeast Asian championship finals they played between 2000 and 2020.

Indonesia coach John Herdman gives instructions during his team’s 9-2 win over Bangladesh in their final Group A match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the evening of Oct. 1, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

That makes today’s FIFA ASEAN Cup final against Thailand another chance for the archipelago nation to break through.

"Indonesia have never lifted the trophy. We have a chance to become the first group to bring a title home for this country," Herdman said at a press conference on Oct. 4. "This is an opportunity that many of the players in this squad have worked extremely hard for and deserve."

Kevin Diks has twice won the Danish Cup with Copenhagen, and as Indonesia captain at this FIFA ASEAN Cup, he has tried to pass that experience on to his teammates.

"Anything can happen in a final, but if you stay fully focused, you are already halfway there," the 1996-born defender said. "A match between two strong teams can be decided by a single moment. Don’t get carried away. Stay focused for 100 minutes, or even longer if necessary."

Indonesia will have the psychological advantage. All 68,000 tickets for the final at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta have been sold.

The current squad are determined to win a title and underline Indonesia’s standing in Southeast Asia, despite having already reached the fourth round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Indonesia defender Kevin Diks celebrates after scoring to make it 8-2 in the 9-2 win over Bangladesh in their final Group A match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the evening of Oct. 1, 2026. Photo by Duc Dong/VnExpress

Compared with the ASEAN Cup, where Indonesia were eliminated in the group stage, Herdman has had a much stronger squad available for the FIFA ASEAN Cup after being able to call up more of his best players.

Even so, Indonesia were far from convincing in their first two matches. They beat Singapore 2-0, then struggled to a 0-0 draw with Malaysia after Thom Haye was sent off in the first half.

They responded with a huge boost to morale by thrashing Bangladesh 9-2, an extraordinary result that allowed them to snatch the Group A final berth from Malaysia. Both teams finished with seven points and a goal difference of +9, but Indonesia advanced after scoring more goals, 11 to Malaysia’s nine.

Their opponent in the final, however, will be far tougher.

Thailand have long been regarded as Southeast Asia’s leading football nation. Their position has occasionally come under threat, but the Thais have never lost their technical quality or tactical craft.

Today’s clash at Bung Karno is being billed as a meeting between an established power and a rising force, with Indonesia increasingly drawing strength from players of mixed heritage who are based in Europe.

Chanathip Songkrasin has noticed the clear improvement among Southeast Asian national teams, particularly Indonesia, who now have many players competing in higher-level leagues. He praised their physical strength and individual technique.

That only makes the midfielder known as the "Thai Messi" more excited for the contest.

"We want to make history, with belief and hunger," Chanathip said. "If we win, it will give us more confidence when we face them again in the Asian Cup 2027 group stage.

English coach Anthony Hudson (L) and Thailand captain Chanathip Songkrasin attend a press conference at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Oct. 4, 2026, ahead of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final against Indonesia. Photo by ThailandNT

"A victory would also create positive momentum for the fans, the coaches and former players, who always want to see us fulfil our potential."

Chanathip and his teammates secured their place in the final with a game to spare after beating Pakistan 4-0 and Vietnam 2-0.

Their 2-1 defeat by the Philippines in the final group match was considered an acceptable risk, as coach Anthony Hudson rotated his squad to give every player game time while resting his key players for the final.

Thailand head into the final fresh and in high spirits after gaining revenge over Vietnam.

"It was a huge challenge and one we managed to overcome," Hudson said. "They were title contenders and an opponent we had not been able to beat for the past two years."

Thailand have the better overall head-to-head record against Indonesia, with 37 wins, 25 defeats and 16 draws. They have also won every Southeast Asian championship final between the two sides, in 2000, 2002, 2016 and 2020.