Erick Thohir Confirms No New Naturalized Players

PSSI chairman Erick Thohir confirmed there will be no new naturalized players added to the Indonesia national football team ahead of the upcoming matches against China and Japan in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, as reported by BolaSport.com.

The Garuda squad is set to play two crucial matches — against China at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium and Japan in Osaka. Unlike previous windows, PSSI will focus solely on the players already available in the squad.

“No additional naturalized players; we are sticking with the current team. We want the national team to start training earlier and stay focused,” said Erick Thohir.

This decision comes despite several injury concerns:

• Kevin Diks who must sit out until the end of season
• Dean James who is still in recovery
• Several U-23 players who must share time with other tournaments

Erick Thohir stressed the importance of squad depth, especially when dealing with injuries or card accumulation. The last time PSSI added naturalized players was when Dean James, Joey Pelupessy, and Emil Audero were brought in to face Australia and Bahrain.