The Indonesia U-17 national team’s journey in the 2026 U-17 Asian Cup has unfortunately concluded prematurely, as they failed to advance to the quarter-finals.
The squad, coached by Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, was eliminated in the group stage following a decisive 1-3 defeat to Japan in a match held at Field A of the King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
This result marked the second consecutive defeat for the “Garuda Muda,” as Indonesia’s U-17 team is known, having previously suffered a 0-2 setback against Qatar.
Earlier, Putu Ekayana and his teammates had opened their campaign with a promising 1-0 victory over China in their inaugural match. However, the hoped-for consistent performance did not materialize in the subsequent two games.
U-17 Asian Cup: Lost to Japan, Indonesia National Team Eliminated and Failed to Reach the World Cup
This situation regrettably echoes the performance of the Indonesia U-17 national team in a previous competition, the 2026 AFF U-17 Cup.
During that tournament, held in Gresik, the “Garuda Muda” also started strongly, securing a convincing 4-0 win against Timor Leste in their opening match.
However, the Indonesian national team’s journey then encountered obstacles after a 0-1 loss to Malaysia and a 0-0 draw against Vietnam.
For the U-17 Asian Cup tournament, PSSI also included three diaspora players: Matthew Baker, Mike Rajasa Hoppenbrouwers, and Noha Oliver Potar Pohan Simangunsong.
U-17 Asian Cup: Watch Indonesia National Team Vs Japan Streaming Here
Nevertheless, their presence was not sufficient to significantly elevate the team’s performance.
The outcome at the 2026 U-17 Asian Cup simultaneously confirms Indonesia’s failure to secure a top-eight finish, which is also the ticket to the U-17 World Cup finals.
Previously, the “Garuda Muda” had participated in the U-17 World Cup editions of 2023 and 2025.
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It will be interesting to see the evaluation conducted by PSSI, considering that Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, also known as “Si Kurus,” has yet to find the best touch to formulate the “Garuda Muda” squad in these two tournaments.(afc/mcr16/jpnn)
Summary
The Indonesia U-17 national team has been eliminated from the 2026 U-17 Asian Cup after failing to advance past the group stage. Following an initial victory against China, the squad suffered consecutive defeats to Qatar and Japan, ultimately concluding their campaign without securing a spot in the quarter-finals.
This premature exit also marks Indonesia’s failure to qualify for the upcoming U-17 World Cup, as a top-eight finish in the tournament was required for entry. Despite the inclusion of several diaspora players, the team struggled to maintain consistency, prompting calls for a thorough evaluation of the squad’s performance under coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto.