Sports Minister speaks out about 2026 World Cup qualification hosts

Dito Ariotedjo, Indonesia’s Sports Minister, has expressed his views regarding AFC’s decision to appoint Saudi Arabia and Qatar as hosts for the fourth round of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

The appointment of these two nations has sparked diverse reactions — four other participating teams namely Indonesia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, and Oman are demanding transparency in the selection process.

Indonesia has chosen closed diplomatic channels to convey its protest — unlike the other three nations who utilized their federation’s official social media platforms.

“Fairness is not just a hope. It must be an obligation in sports,” stated Dito Ariotedjo to Antaranews.

As fellow Islamic nations, the Sports Minister expects Saudi Arabia and Qatar to fulfill their hosting duties professionally without any unfair advantages benefiting specific parties.