Indonesia’s World Cup 2026 qualification progress catches NYT attention

The New York Times reports on Indonesia’s historic achievement in advancing to the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Asian zone — a remarkable feat considering FIFA sanctions a decade ago.

Six nations have already secured direct qualification from AFC’s third round:

• Iran
• Uzbekistan
• South Korea
• Jordan
• Japan
• Australia

The Garuda team will join the fourth round alongside five other Asian nations — Iraq, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. The competition format will divide these six teams into two separate groups.

This U.S. media spotlight holds special significance as they are one of the 2026 World Cup host nations along with Mexico and Canada — making Indonesia’s journey toward the tournament increasingly intriguing to follow.