Indonesian Men's 5X5 Basketball Team Targets to Speak in the Asian Games 2026 Group Stage

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Men's 5X5 Basketball National Team has set a target to be able to talk a lot in the group stage of the 2026 Asian Games which will begin in Japan in mid-next month.

Managing Director of the National Team Agency (BTN) of the Central Representative Council of the Indonesian Basketball Association (DPP Perbasi), Jeremy Imanuel Santoso, said that they would try to prepare the best team for the four-year sports festival and hope that all important Indonesian players can participate.

"We hope that everyone can join, then we want to target qualifying for the group stage even though we also know that in this group we are the lowest ranked," he said in an official statement received from the Public Relations Department of the Perbasi DPP.

Currently, the Indonesian National Basketball Team is being prepared to participate in the 2029 FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers which will take place on August 28, 30, and 31, 2026. They will face Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

Jeremy explained that the agenda made the summoning of players already scheduled, which will be followed by the summoning of names that will strengthen Indonesia in the 2026 Asian Games.

"We certainly want to prepare the best team with the best players, so BTN is trying hard to ensure the participation of several players who appear in professional leagues outside Indonesia," he said.

The Indonesian National Basketball Team filled Pool A at the 2026 Asian Games along with Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. In the current FIBA ranking, the Garuda Squad is in 94th place, Japan is ranked 22nd, South Korea is ranked 54th, and Saudi Arabia is ranked 65th.

Indonesia will start the qualifying phase by facing the host Japan on September 10, 2026 and meeting South Korea a day later. The Garuda Team's struggle then continued against Saudi Arabia on September 13, 2026.

The 2026 Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4, 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya. Indonesia is guaranteed to send as many as 432 athletes from 35 sports with the target of bringing home four gold medals.