Jakarta, ThedailyID — Indonesia U-20 will begin its campaign for a place at the 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup later this month.
The team will compete in Group H alongside Malaysia, hosts Laos, and Australia. The qualifiers will take place in Vientiane, Laos, from August 31 to September 6, 2026.
Coach Nova Arianto’s side will face Malaysia on August 31. Indonesia will then meet Laos on September 3 before finishing against Australia on September 6.
Only the group winner will qualify automatically for the tournament. Meanwhile, the seven best runners-up from eight qualifying groups will also advance to the finals.
China will host the 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup from March 24 to April 10.
Indonesia must win all three matches to guarantee qualification as group winners. However, Malaysia, Laos, and Australia each present different challenges.
Indonesia will also draw confidence from its recent campaign at the 2026 AFF U-19 Championship. The Young Garuda finished third, while Australia won the tournament.
Australia also defeated Indonesia 1-0 during the competition. Malaysia finished second in Group B but failed to reach the semifinals, while Laos did not participate.
The results suggest Australia could pose Indonesia’s toughest challenge. Still, Indonesia will need to remain focused from its opening match against Malaysia.
