The Indonesian National Team Must Be Alert, Referees In The Match Against Saudi Arabia Royal Yellow Card
JAKARTA - The Indonesian national team must appear alert when facing Saudi Arabia in the Fourth Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
Ahmad Al Ali, who will be the main referee in the match, is known as a royal figure who gives a yellow card.
The assignment of Al Ali in the match between the Indonesian national team and Saudi Arabia was based on the AFC decision. The field prosecutor is also known to come from Kuwait, which had drawn controversy because he had the same region as the team he would lead.
Quoted from Transfermarkt on Monday, October 6, 2025, it is known that the number of cards that have been issued by Al Ali during his tenure is even close to 200 times.
41 years old, Ahmad Al Ali has led 56 matches in various competitions. Of the total, there are 188 yellow cards and nine red cards that have come out of your pocket. That is, on average 3.3 times the referee sent a yellow card in each match.
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In the 2026 Asian Zone World Cup Qualification, the number of cards issued by Al Ali is also a lot. Of the nine matches, 25 yellow cards and one red card have come out of your pocket.
This note clearly makes the Indonesian national team have to be careful. Moreover, there is a potential for Saudi Arabia to try to provoke emotions and a number of tricks that can make cards issued by Al Ali in the match later.
Ahmad Al Ali is one of the international referees owned by Kuwait. Based on data from the FIFA website, Ahmad Al Ali has been an international referee since 2016.
Al Ali is one of the referees who often gets the trust of the AFC. He has even led prestigious competitions, ranging from the Asian Cup, Gulf Cup, Asian Elite Champions League, to World Cup Qualifiers.
The Indonesian national team will face Saudi Arabia (8 October 2025) and Iraq (11 October 2025) in the Group B match of the 2026 World Cup Qualification Fourth Round. The three teams will compete for one ticket to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.