The 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification Is Confirmed To Stay On Schedule

JAKARTA - The 2026 U-23 Asian Cup qualification will certainly continue according to schedule on September 3-9, 2025. This was confirmed by the Chairman of the National Team Agency (BTN), Sumardji.

"All of that (the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification agenda) is still on schedule," Sumardji said in a statement quoted Monday, September 1, 2025.

Sumardji said the U-23 Indonesian national team training camp had started on August 25, 2025. Until now, preparations have also gone smoothly without any problems.

For the main agenda, all the players have also gathered in Sidoarjo. Players who had asked permission to defend the club in the 2025/2026 Super League have also gathered.

According to him, so far all preparations have gone well. There is no plan from PSSI to postpone the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification even though Surabaya's condition was not conducive following demonstrations that also occurred in several areas of the country.

Group J of the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification is planned to take place at the Gelora Delta Stadium, Sidoarjo, starting Wednesday, September 3, 2025. In this event the U-23 Indonesian national team will compete with Macau, Laos, and South Korea.

The target given by PSSI to Indonesia U-23 coach, Gerald Vanenburg, is to qualify for the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification.

Meanwhile, seeing the opponent of Group J, Garuda Muda must be wary of South Korea, which is known as one of the strengths of Asian football.

Only group winners are certain to advance to the 2026 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia. The remaining four tickets will be contested through the best runners-up line.