Indonesia U-17 team secures spot in 2026 Asian Cup

Nova Arianto, the Indonesia U-17 national team coach, confirms his team’s direct qualification for the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup.

The automatic qualification comes from Indonesia U-17’s achievement of reaching the quarter-finals in the 2025 AFC U-17 Asian Cup — a feat that also secured their place in the 2025 U-17 World Cup.

AFC’s new system for junior tournaments now implements an annual format — a policy that benefits teams reaching the knockout stages in previous editions.

“AFC has indeed implemented new rules for this junior tournament, making it an annual competition,” explains Nova Arianto.