The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) officially introduced John Herdman as the new head coach of the Indonesian National Team at an event held at Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta (January 13). The appointment marked the end of the vacancy in the national team’s head coach position, which had remained unfilled since October 2025.
PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir announced the appointment through his official Instagram account.
“Welcome to the Indonesian National Team, Coach John Herdman,” Erick Thohir wrote.
John Herdman was officially named as Indonesia’s national team head coach on January 3, 2026. In its official statement, PSSI described Herdman as a coach with a consistently strong track record and deemed him well-qualified to lead the national team in both short- and long-term programs, including preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
Read also: New Era Begins, John Herdman Named Indonesia Football Head Coach
International-Level Coaching Track Record
John Herdman’s coaching career began with the New Zealand Women’s National Team in 2006. During his five-year tenure with the Football Ferns, Herdman recorded several notable achievements.
New Zealand qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2007 and 2011, competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and won the OFC Women’s Championship twice.
During this period, New Zealand also secured victories against Argentina, the Netherlands, and Italy, as well as draws against Japan and England. These results represented some of New Zealand’s most significant achievements since the 1980s.
In recognition of his performance, Herdman was named New Zealand Football Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008.
Herdman later continued his career in Canada, taking charge of the Canadian Women’s National Team on September 1, 2011. Over seven years, he led Canada in 108 official matches, recording 62 wins, 14 draws, and 32 losses.
Under his leadership, Canada won gold at the 2011 Pan American Games, claimed bronze medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the host nation.
In 2017, Canada even briefly rose to fourth place in the FIFA women's world rankings.
History with the Canada Men’s National Team
On January 8, 2018, Herdman was appointed head coach of the Canada Men’s National Team. Under his leadership, Canada recorded 35 wins from 57 senior-level (A international) matches over a six-year period.
Canada also enjoyed a 17-match unbeaten run during the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In March 2022, Canada officially secured qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, ending a 36-year wait since their last appearance at the tournament in 1986.
This achievement made Herdman the first coach in history to lead both the men’s and women’s national teams of the same country to qualification for the FIFA World Cup.
After completing his national team duties, Herdman took charge of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer from August 2023 until November 30, 2024. During the 2024 season, Toronto FC recorded 11 wins, 19 losses, and four draws in league play and failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Overall, Herdman’s record with Toronto FC stood at 16 wins, 22 losses, and six draws.
PSSI has tasked John Herdman with leading the Indonesian National Team amid a packed schedule, including FIFA Matchdays, regional tournaments, and preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. The appointment forms part of the federation’s broader strategy to prepare the national team to meet both medium- and long-term objectives.
