Indonesian Men's Field Hockey Team Qualified for the 2026 Asian Games

The Indonesian Field Hockey National Team has secured a ticket to the 2026 Asian Games (doc. Indonesian Field Hockey National Team).

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Men's Field Hockey National Team (National Team) is guaranteed to qualify for the 2026 Asian Games multi-branch sports event after reaching the semifinals in the qualifying match.

The Garuda squad was able to fulfill its ambition thanks to defeating the hosts Thailand with a narrow score of 1-0 in the last match of Pool A at the Royal Thai Air Force Hockey Field, Bangkok, on Monday, March 6, 2026.

The only goal that determined Indonesia's steps was scored by team captain Aulia Akbar Al Ardh in the first quarter. This achievement repeated the record four years ago when they qualified for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games.

"Alhamdulillah we are very proud. This is all thanks to the hard work and efforts of all colleagues," said Akbar in a statement received by the media.

The Indonesian Field National Team played two consecutive matches before securing the semi-final ticket. A day earlier, they played a dramatic match against Kazakhstan and won 4-3.

Muhammad Dhaarma Raj as coach of the Indonesian Field National Team is happy with the struggle of his children who succeeded in two very tense matches.

"The children's struggle and spirit are extraordinary. In the four quarters of the match, they were able to keep up with the fast game and close the opportunity for Thailand to score a goal even though their physical condition was exhausted," he said.

Indonesia took the runner-up position in Pool A with nine points from three wins and one loss. The leader of the standings was Oman with 12 points after winning over Hong Kong in the last match.

In the semifinal round, Indonesia will meet Sri Lanka, who are the leaders of Pool B because they won all four matches. The semifinal match will take place on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

"We will use the two-day break to restore the physical condition of the players. So, they can play better when facing Sri Lanka in the semifinals later. Hopefully we can make it to the final," said Dhaarma.

The 2026 Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The four-year sports festival will be attended by approximately 46 countries.