The Indonesian National Team Trial Match Against Kuwait Has Been Canceled

JAKARTA An international trial match on the FIFA Matchday agenda between the Indonesian National Team (Timnas) against Kuwait next month in Surabaya, East Java, will certainly be canceled.

The Indonesian national team should have had a friendly match against Kuwait at the FIFA Matchday on September 5, 2025 at the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium (GBT).

PSSI General Chair Erick Thohir confirmed that the match had been canceled. He said Kuwait had confirmed it by letter. "We have received a confirmation letter from Kuwait," Erick said while attending the opening of the Nusantara Cup 2025 at Garudayaksa Football Academy Training Ground, Setu, Bekasi, West Java, on Monday, August 25, 2025.

In addition to the match against Indonesia, the Kuwait Football Association (KFA) also canceled their schedule in one of the tournaments that took place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Erick said that he did not know for sure the reason Kuwait resigned from the schedule against Indonesia. He also emphasized that he did not want to interfere.

"Of course we are now focused on the match against Lebanon. Yesterday I spoke with Patrick Kluiver. With this, it might be good to practice longer," he said.

Apart from fighting Kuwait, the Indonesian national team is also scheduled to fight Lebanon on September 8, 2025 at the same stadium. The match versus Lebanon is confirmed to remain on schedule. The chairman of PSSI further said that so far no other country can be an option to replace Kuwait. He ensured that PSSI itself had sent a letter to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

"The term (to) maintain the relationship between members in the AFC to be better at each other in the future. Of course, domestic issues for me do not want to interfere," he said.

Next month's trial match is a preparation for the Garuda squad to face the 2026 World Cup Qualification Fourth Round of the Asian Zone against Iraq and Saudi Arabia in October 2025.