The match against Bahrain in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers ( Asia Zone) is a pivotal moment for the Indonesian national team. Not only is it a chance to win, but it is also an opportunity to set a new record as the highest scoring Southeast Asian team, surpassing the achievements of Thailand and Vietnam, who have previously reached the third round of World Cup qualifying.
At this stage, Indonesia is also the only Southeast Asian country to reach the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The match between Indonesia and Bahrain will take place at the Bahrain National Stadium on Thursday, October 10 at 23:00 (GMT+7).
Indonesia are in Group C alongside Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and China in the third round. Having drawn two of their previous matches, Garuda are determined to get three points to break the record and improve their standing in Group C, where they are currently fourth.
Garuda Set for Record-Breaking Win
This is the first time in the history of Indonesian football that Garuda have reached the third round of World Cup qualifying. A win against Bahrain would put the Indonesian national team in a favorable position with five points, surpassing the achievements of Thailand and Vietnam in the history of Asian Zone World Cup qualifying. With two points from their first two matches, Indonesia need just three more wins to set a new record for a Southeast Asian representative in the third round of qualifying.
Neither Thailand nor Vietnam, the region's first representatives to reach this stage, managed to qualify for the finals. Thailand collected just two points from ten matches in the 2018 Asian Zone qualifiers, while Vietnam collected four points from the same number of matches in the 2022 Asian Zone qualifiers.
Indonesia’s Quest for a Ranking Leap
If Indonesia manages to secure three points, a win in this match could potentially elevate the national team’s standing by one or two spots in the group rankings. With five points from the first three matches, this would serve as additional motivation for the team to keep fighting in the qualification rounds.
A victory over Bahrain would also boost Indonesia’s FIFA ranking by seven spots. This win is expected to bring an additional 16.89 points, enough to lift the Garuda squad to 122nd in the world rankings—a significant achievement for Indonesian football, as the last time Indonesia held that position was in December 2009.
Bahrain Rivalry Haunts Indonesia’s Past
From 1980 to 2012, Indonesia has faced Bahrain seven times in various competitions. Across those meetings, Indonesia recorded two wins, one draw, and the rest were losses. The most crushing defeat occurred in 2012 during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, where Indonesia suffered a 0-10 loss—its worst defeat in Indonesian history.
Optimistic for Indonesia Victory!
With the addition of Mees Hilgers and Eliano Reijnders, the strength of Indonesia's national team is now more complete. The partnership between Hilgers and Jay Idzes in defense is expected to form a solid wall that will be hard for opponents to break through.
Meanwhile, Reijnders is anticipated to become a sharp spearhead in attack. Combined with the team's unbeaten streak at the start of the qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Australia, the Garuda squad is poised to achieve remarkable success in this round.
