Bahrain Fears Of Traveling To The Indonesian National Team Headquarters

The Bahrain Federation has asked for the Bahrain away match to Indonesia to be moved (Instagram/@bahrainfa).

JAKARTA - The Bahrain Football Federation (BFA) issued an official statement regarding the desire to move the Indonesia vs Bahrain match in the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification.

In fact, the Garuda Squad meeting with Bahrain will be presented at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) on March 25, 2025.

However, cyber attacks from Indonesian netizens resulted in a controversial series at the Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, at the first meeting made BFA afraid to travel.

Therefore, BFA asked FIFA and AFC to move the location of the second meeting between Indonesia vs Bahrain.

"BFA is in the process of responding to FIFA and AFC to inform them of the behavior BFA received."

"The threatening behavior, insulting words, and defamation can affect the safety of members of the Bahrain national team when meeting the Indonesian national team in an away match in Jakarta."

"BFA will apply to move the match from Indonesia to maintain the safety of the Bahrain national team because this is a top priority, especially because FIFA and AFC pay attention to the safety of teams participating in their tournaments," reads a snippet of BFA's official statement.

As is known, the Indonesian national team supporters were furious about the results of the Bahrain vs Indonesia 2-2 series on October 10, 2024.

Supporters considered Bahrain to have played unfairly and stole the victory of the Indonesian national team which was already in sight.

The incident began when Indonesia was 2-1 ahead until 90 minutes normal time. The referee from Oman who led the match, Ahmed Al Kaf, along with the fourth official referee, has determined the injury time for six minutes.

However, on his way, Ahmed Al Kaf never blew the long whistle even though he had passed six minutes of injury time.

In the aftermath, Bahrain was able to score the equalizer goal in the 90+9 minute.

Ahmed Al Kaf was accused of making match fixing arrangements by supporters of the Indonesian national team because they did not let Bahrain lose.

The result also made Garuda supporters angry, but also from officials and players.

After the match, Ahmed Al Kaf was immediately flooded with attacks on social media. BFA and AFC social media accounts are no exception.

Indonesian netizens flooded the cyberattack with the hashtag #AFCMafia.

Anger and attacks from Indonesian supporters cannot be separated from allegations of fraud by AFC and Bahrain.

The AFC even assigned referees from the Middle East. In fact, Bahrain came from the same area.

In addition, the President of the AFC, Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, is a member of the Bahrain Kingdom who is accused by Indonesian netizens of having a role in smoothing the steps of the Bahrain National Team.

The Sound Of The Complete Statement Of The Bahrain Football Federation

The Bahrain Football Federation's statement regarding behavior that cannot be accepted from Indonesian national team fans against the Bahrain Football Federation.

BFA has followed for the last few days an unacceptable and irresponsible behavior from fans of the Indonesian national team against BFA and the Bahrain national team players after the Bahrain vs Indonesia match in the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

Therefore, BFA would like to explain the following:

1. BFA strongly condemns the irresponsible behavior of Indonesian national team fans through cyberspace, BFA websites, social media accounts, and electronic mail systems that commit acts of insult, slander, threats, and hacking operations in completely unacceptable steps and do not convey noble goals for sport in general and football in particular in uniting people from around the world.

Offended comments listed on BFA's account and website, apart from the Bahrain National Team player and Bahrain fans' accounts, have nothing to do with sports norms. Given this, BFA expressed its deep dissatisfaction with the disturbing and unacceptable journey because it was not in accordance with Islamic principles, values, and norms, and also did not reflect the progress of countries.

2. In accordance with BFA provisions to ensure the safety of its members, especially the Bahrain national team players, BFA is in the process of responding to FIFA and AFC to inform them about the behavior BFA received, such as threatening behavior, insult words, and defamation that can affect the safety of members of the Bahrain national team when meeting the Indonesian national team in an away match in Jakarta.

BFA will apply to move the match from Indonesia to maintain the safety of the Bahrain national team because this is a top priority, especially because FIFA and AFC pay attention to the safety of the teams participating in their tournaments.

3. BFA stated a very big shock over the many death threats received by members of the Bahrain national team on their personal social media accounts. Actions that reflect the Indonesian people's indifference to human life.

This kind of case has never been directed at a sports stadium and is completely far from sports, where there is mutual respect and respect among its members. BFA refuses to bring the lives of members of the Bahrain national team in any danger, especially because of the actions of Indonesian TIMnas fans which are totally unacceptable and untrue. It has absolutely nothing to do with football families, apart from BFA's ties, working with various sectors.

The state sector, each in its field, has sought to provide the necessary facilities for the entry of Indonesian national team fans to Bahrain in preparation to support their team in the match against the Bahrain national team with a total of more than 2,000 fans. In addition, facilitating procedures to enter the stadium on match day and providing the right place in a manner according to the standards and requirements governing the 2026 World Cup Qualification.

4. When BFA ensures its rejection of attacks, including cyberattacks, as well as various threatening words, BFA will use international organizations, human rights, Islamic organizations and human rights, in addition to the association of journalists, to witness the risks potentially facing the Bahrain national team, as well as to show what has been abandoned in terms of defaming football and a noble goal known internationally, which is stressed to mutual respect and high sportsmanship.