Three Countries Opposing the Indonesian National Team in the John Herdman Era at FIFA Series 2026

Indonesia has received FIFA's significant trust to host one of the FIFA Series 2026 events, an inter-confederation tournament designed as a simulation for large-scale international competitions. Jakarta will be in the spotlight when the Indonesian National Team hosts three countries from three different continents: Europe, Oceania, and the Caribbean. One of them is Bulgaria, the world's 88th-ranked team that produced Manchester United legend Dimitar Berbatov. Bulgaria has appeared seven times in the World Cup, with its best achievement being a fourth-place finish in the 1994 edition in the United States. At the 1994 World Cup, Bulgaria reached the semifinals before losing 1-2 to Italy, then lost 0-4 to Sweden in the third-place playoff. Besides Bulgaria, Indonesia will also host Solomon Islands from Oceania and Saint Kitts and Nevis from the Caribbean. Both teams rank below Indonesia in the FIFA Rankings. Solomon Islands is in 152nd place and Saint Kitts and Nevis in 155th place. Meanwhile, Indonesia currently occupies 122nd place in the world rankings. This composition presents an interesting combination. John Herdman's national team will face a test against European tradition, alongside a realistic opportunity to measure progress against lower-ranked teams. The FIFA Series 2026 has undergone significant expansion. Following the format announcement in November 2025, the event will feature 48 national teams, divided into 12 groups of four teams each. The tournament will take place during the March and April international match windows, without adding to the global calendar congestion. With this number of participants, the FIFA Series covers nearly 25 percent of FIFA's 211 Member Associations. Eleven associations have been appointed as hosts, with Rwanda hosting two groups, bringing the total to 12 groups. This initiative also highlights the global scale of the event, with nine men's groups and three women's groups representing all six FIFA confederations. As quoted from the official PSSI website, the FIFA Series continues to support comprehensive Football Development off the field. Host and participating Member Associations gain hands-on experience in event management, operational planning, referee development, and competition organization. Besides Indonesia, the hosts for the men's groups of FIFA Series 2026 are Australia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, the women's groups will be held in Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, and Thailand. All matches are confirmed to be broadcast globally, providing international exposure for each participating team and expanding fan reach. The Match Schedule will be announced later. FIFA Series 2026 Distribution Men's Groups Australia (AFC): Australia, Cameroon, China, Curaçao. Azerbaijan (UEFA): Azerbaijan, Oman, Sierra Leone, Saint Lucia. Indonesia (AFC): Bulgaria, Solomon Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Kazakhstan (UEFA): Comoros, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Namibia. New Zealand (OFC): Cape Verde, Chile, Finland, New Zealand. Puerto Rico (Concacaf): American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands. Rwanda (CAF) – Group A: Estonia, Grenada, Kenya, Rwanda. Rwanda (CAF) – Group B: Aruba, Liechtenstein, Macau, Tanzania. Uzbekistan (AFC): Gabon, Trinidad and Tobago, Uzbekistan, Venezuela. Women's Groups Brazil (CONMEBOL): Brazil, Canada, Korea Republic, Zambia. Côte d'Ivoire (CAF): Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Pakistan, Turks and Caicos Islands. Thailand (AFC): DR Congo, Nepal, OFC Team, Thailand.