Indonesia's Asian Futsal Cup Title Chances Remain Wide Open

February 6, 2026 | 05:48 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The coach of the Japanese national futsal team, Kensuke Takahashi, sees bright prospects for Indonesia in winning the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup. He shared this opinion after Indonesia defeated Japan 5-3 in the semifinal match at the Indonesia Arena on Thursday night, February 5, 2026.

According to him, the host's improving performance, coupled with massive public support, is an important advantage for Indonesia when facing Iran in the final match on Saturday night, February 7, 2026. "It will be a very intense and difficult match. But I think Indonesia has a good chance against Iran in the final," Takahashi said in a post-match press conference.

Takahashi mentioned the atmosphere in the Indonesia Arena as a crucial factor. With over 10,000 spectators filling the stands during the semi-final, he said it provided a great energy boost for the Indonesian players while also creating pressure for the visiting team. "Indonesia certainly has an incredibly supportive fan base, and the Indonesian team is currently in its best form. With such strong support, they have a great potential to win," he stated.

The 43-year-old coach acknowledged that his team maintained game coordination and controlled the tempo during certain phases of the match. However, the intensity of the crowd's support made it difficult for Japan to play freely. "We were able to control the game at times, but the pressure from the Indonesian supporters was immense," said the Asahikawa-born coach.

At the start of the press conference, Takahashi first congratulated Indonesia. He also praised the quality of the Garuda players, who had previously made history by winning gold at the 2025 SEA Games. "We can't say much except acknowledge the strength of the Indonesian team and their outstanding players," he said.

Takahashi also took responsibility for his team's defeat. "As the head coach of the Japanese national team, my duty was to defeat Indonesia today, but in the end, I couldn't. So, I feel responsible for Japan's loss today," he said, as quoted from Antara.

For Takahashi, the semi-final match also brought a personal sentiment. He is a familiar figure in Indonesian futsal. During the 2018-2021 period, He coached the Garuda team and contributed to the development of the national team, leading Indonesia to a top-three finish in the 2018 and 2019 AFF Futsal Cups and guiding the U-20 team to the semifinals of the 2019 Asian U-20 Futsal Cup.

He expressed his delight in returning to Jakarta and seeing the players he once mentored now performing at a high level. "I know some of the players who used to play under me. Back then, they were very young, but today they look very professional and strong," he said.

After Takahashi's departure, the coaching position of the Indonesian national futsal team was temporarily held by Mohammad Hashemzadeh and Marcos Sorato, before eventually being entrusted to the Spanish coach, Hector Souto, since 2024. Takahashi believes that Indonesia's rapid progress is the result of collective efforts from many parties.

"Many people say that my work in Indonesia was quite effective. But of course, I didn't work alone. There was support from the federation, clubs, and of course, Hector's incredible work. That's why Indonesia has become a very strong team now," he said.

Advancing to the final is a new historical milestone for Indonesia in this event, after previously setting a record by reaching the semi-finals for the first time. In the final match, although Indonesia is aiming for its first title, it must face Iran, the most successful team in the tournament with 13 titles.

However, for Takahashi, with the current improving performance and the support of the home crowd, Indonesia's prospects are wide open this time. The 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup final is scheduled to take place at the Indonesia Arena on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 19:00 WIB (Western Indonesia Time).

Read: FIFA Futsal World Ranking: Indonesia Becomes the Strongest Team

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