Competition for places in Indonesia’s national team squad for the 2026 ASEAN Championship has entered its final stage. After completing the first phase of its training camp in Bali on Sunday, July 12, 2026, head coach John Herdman is set to determine which players will advance to the next phase.
The final evaluation is scheduled to conclude following an internal match, which will serve as the team’s last assessment. The list of selected players is expected to be announced on Monday or Tuesday, before the second phase of the training camp begins on July 14.
Herdman said the selection process is still ongoing because the coaching staff wants to ensure that every player is truly capable of competing for a place in the final squad.
“We are still evaluating the current group of players while also considering several other names. Only after that will we decide who advances to the second phase,” he said.
Indonesia’s training camp in Bali has been divided into two stages. The first phase took place from July 5 to 11, involving around 23 players from the planned 26-man squad.
The second phase will run until July 25 and will include several additional players who were unable to join the initial training camp.
Unfortunately, ahead of the final evaluation of the first phase, the national team suffered a setback with Mauro Zijlstra sustaining an injury. Although the coaching staff has yet to provide details regarding the severity of the injury, Mauro confirmed that he had to leave the training camp early and return to Jakarta to undergo rehabilitation.
During the second phase of training, the core squad will begin to take shape. Players retained from the initial camp will train alongside the newly arrived group in a program focused more heavily on implementing tactical strategies.
According to Herdman, competition for places in the final squad remains completely open. Every player has shown strong determination to secure one of the 24 to 26 spots available for the 2026 ASEAN Championship.
Over the past week, the coaching staff concentrated primarily on rebuilding the players’ physical condition, as most had only recently completed preseason training with their respective clubs. Physical fitness therefore became the main priority before moving on to tactical preparations.
“The players have worked extremely hard over the past six days because our primary focus has been improving their physical condition during this first week. In the second phase, we’ll begin building the team’s structure and refining our tactical approach,” he said.
Herdman also views the 2026 ASEAN Championship, scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 26, as part of Indonesia’s long-term national team development.
The tournament will provide an important benchmark for assessing the ability of players from the Indonesian domestic league to compete at the international level, while also serving as a foundation for assembling the squad for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
“For me, this tournament is an opportunity to evaluate local players who can contribute to the national team—not only now, but also for the Asian Cup and the future,” he said.***
