Indonesia have written a historic chapter in their futsal journey after reaching the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 final for the first time ever. The achievement confirms the rapid rise of Indonesian futsal on the Asian stage.
After previously dominating Southeast Asia by winning the ASEAN Futsal Championship 2024 and the SEA Games 2025, the team coached by Hector Souto have carried their momentum into continental competition.
Indonesia first broke new ground by qualifying for the semifinals of the tournament for the first time in their history. The landmark run continued on Thursday night when they defeated Asian powerhouse Japan by 5-3 after extra time, securing a place in the final.
The result underlines the dramatic transformation of the Indonesian futsal national team. At the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup, Indonesia failed to progress from the earlier stages. Two years later, they now stand one match away from lifting the trophy.
Indonesia will face Iran in the final on 7 February. Iran are widely regarded as the most dominant force in Asian futsal history, having won the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 13 times and finished as runners-up on two occasions from 17 editions of the tournament. No Southeast Asian nation has ever defeated Iran in the competition.
The final presents Indonesia with the ultimate challenge and a rare opportunity to break Iran’s long-standing dominance and create the greatest achievement in Southeast Asian futsal history.
