TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Under-20 (U-20) national football team has been drawn into Group H for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, scheduled to be held in China. The official draw was announced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
In Group H, the Garuda Muda (Young Garuda) squad faces a formidable challenge against defending champions Australia, regional rivals Malaysia, and group hosts Laos.
The qualification rounds will take place from August 25 to September 6, 2026, debuting a newly structured format introduced by the AFC.
New Tournament Format
Under the new regulations, a total of 32 teams have been divided into eight primary groups (Groups A to H). Only the eight group winners and the seven best runners-up will secure a spot in the final tournament in China.
Meanwhile, Groups I through K have been designated as a separate "Development Phase." The winners and runners-up from these developmental groups will not qualify for the 2027 finals, but will instead earn eligibility for the qualification rounds of the subsequent edition.
Preparations Under Nova Arianto
The Indonesian U-20 squad is currently intensifying its preparations under the guidance of head coach Nova Arianto. The former Indonesia U-17 coach previously made headlines by successfully leading the youth team to the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 in Qatar.
The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) is banking on Nova to replicate that success with the U-20 cohort.
Indonesia's immediate test will come at the upcoming ASEAN U-19 Boys’ Championship 2026, which will be held in Medan, North Sumatra, from June 1 to 13.
As both the tournament hosts and defending champions, Indonesia anchors Group A alongside Vietnam, Timor-Leste, and Myanmar. The Garuda Muda will kick off their ASEAN campaign against Myanmar on Monday, June 1, followed by a match against Timor-Leste on Thursday, June 4, before wrapping up the group stage against Vietnam on Sunday, June 7.
Official AFC U-20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualification Draw
Group A: South Korea, Kyrgyzstan (H), Philippines, Lebanon
Group B: Uzbekistan (H), Syria, India, Bangladesh
Group C: Iran, Vietnam (H), North Korea, Palestine
Group D: Jordan, Tajikistan, Bahrain (H), Afghanistan
Group E: Saudi Arabia, Qatar (H), Oman, Hong Kong
Group F: Iraq, Thailand (H), United Arab Emirates, Turkmenistan
Group G: Japan, Yemen, Cambodia (H), Kuwait
Group H: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos (H)
Development Phase
Group I: Mongolia, Guam, Nepal, Northern Mariana Islands
Group J: Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Bhutan, Macau
Group K: Myanmar, Maldives, Brunei Darussalam, Sri Lanka
(H) denotes Group Host
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