UNAIR NEWS – The Indonesian National Football Team is set to continue its campaign in the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. To keep their hopes alive for the prestigious quadrennial tournament, Indonesia must at least secure points against football powerhouse Australia and claim victory when hosting Bahrain.
The matches are scheduled for Thursday, March 20, 2025, and Tuesday, March 25, 2025. As the Garuda squad prepares for these crucial encounters, supporters have been rallying behind them both in person and on social media. This overwhelming show of support is seen as a unifying force that reinforces social cohesion and national identity.
Rizky Sugianto Putri, S.Ant., M.Si., a lecturer in Anthropology at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), shared her perspective on the phenomenon. She noted that this level of support can be a double-edged sword, bringing both positive and negative impacts.
“Such immense support can be beneficial if our fans exhibit maturity. We aspire for our national team to be world-class, but we must also reflect—are we, as supporters, demonstrating a world-class level of maturity?” she remarked.
Sports and nationalism
As a country known for its deep passion for football, Indonesia boasts one of the highest levels of public enthusiasm for the sport. In line with this, Putri explained that football in Indonesia transcends social barriers.
“Boys and girls from underprivileged regions, teenagers in both rural and urban areas, and adults from diverse backgrounds can seamlessly come together through football. This is why sports are often regarded as a universal language,” said the lecturer specializing in the anthropology of sports.
Beyond being just a sport, Putri sees Indonesian football as a manifestation of nationalism, pride, and national identity. However, she cautioned against the rise of hyper-nationalism, which can lead to negative sentiments and destructive behavior such as hate speech and racism directed at rival supporters or national teams from other countries.
Rise of diaspora
As the ASEAN country with the highest number of migrant workers, Indonesia naturally has a growing number of diaspora players in its national team. “The Indonesian diaspora is expanding globally, and mixed marriages are becoming more common. As a result, many individuals with Indonesian heritage have affiliations with other countries, making them prime candidates for naturalization,” she explained.
Nevertheless, she emphasized that the presence of diaspora players should not be viewed as a threat but rather as an asset for achieving greater success. “Indonesia should take lessons from developed nations instead of being trapped in the dichotomy of ‘native-born’ versus ‘diaspora’ players,” she asserted.
In her closing statement, Putri remains optimistic that with strategic support and a positive, united fanbase acting as the twelfth player, Indonesia can make a significant impact on the global football stage. “If we stand together, it is not impossible that, for the first time in history, we will witness the Indonesian National Team compete in the World Cup,” she concluded.
Author: Mohammad Adif Albarado
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
