Erick Thohir Rules Out New Naturalization Before China

Erick Thohir, chairman of the PSSI, confirmed that there will be no new player naturalizations for the Indonesia national football team ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers — a shift from the previous approach.

The Indonesia national football team will face two crucial matches in Group C of the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers — against China at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in early June, followed by a game against Japan in Osaka.

Head coach Patrick Kluivert will rely on the currently available squad to complete the Red and White’s third-round journey — even though several players, such as Kevin Diks and Dean James, are nursing injuries.

The PSSI opted to give the existing team a better opportunity to prepare with full focus — a contrast to earlier rounds, which regularly saw new additions to the squad.