No referee changes allowed, Indonesian media reassures the national team

Before the clash between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifying fourth round, Indonesian media and supporters are paying special attention to the refereeing aspect.

After AFC rejected PSSI’s appeal to change the referee team from Kuwait, Indonesian media collectively call for fairness, transparency, and sportsmanship from the match officials.

According to the official announcement, AFC appointed referee Ahmed Al-Ali (Kuwait) to officiate the Indonesia vs. Saudi Arabia match at King Abdullah Sport City on the early morning of October 12. Notably, the entire referee panel, including two assistants, the fourth official, and the VAR team, all come from Kuwait, a region geographically and culturally close to Saudi Arabia.

This has raised concerns in Indonesia about potential invisible bias in on-field decisions. Therefore, PSSI officially submitted a protest letter to AFC, requesting a replacement referee with someone from a neutral region such as Japan, South Korea, or Australia.

However, AFC rejected the request citing that “referee assignments are an internal matter and there is no basis for changes”. PSSI later declared respect for this decision and expressed hope that the match would be conducted fairly, objectively, and in the spirit of sportsmanship.

PSSI Secretary-General Yunus Nusi personally signed the letter sent to AFC. In an interview with Indonesian press, he stated that PSSI does not doubt referee Ahmed Al-Ali’s capability but wants to ensure “absolute fairness” in such a crucial World Cup journey match.

“We sincerely hope the referees will act with sportsmanship and fairness. This match could impact both teams’ chances to advance, so we do not want anything that could damage the image of Asian football,” emphasized Yunus Nusi.

Indonesian media also recalled that Ahmed Al-Ali previously officiated the Vietnam vs. Indonesia 4-0 match in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, hoping this time he would “referee more neutrally, without letting the past affect the present”.

Major newspapers such as BolaSport, Kompas, and CNN Indonesia share the same view: Indonesia should focus on playing, and trust in AFC’s professionalism regarding refereeing. The consensus is:

“Since PSSI has accepted the ruling, the best thing fans can do is hope that referee Ahmed Al-Ali and the VAR team work impartially, without any external pressure.”

Though considered the underdog, the Indonesian team carries strong determination and national pride into the match against Saudi Arabia. With all eyes on the Kuwaiti referees, the local media affirms: “The most important thing is for the match to be transparent, fair, and uphold the values of fair football.”