Indonesia was 'poured cold water' by FIFA

FIFA and AFC finalized the list of Kuwaiti referees to officiate the match between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in the 4th qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

Indonesia's request to change the referee was not approved.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have rejected the request of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) to change the referee for the match between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, in Group B of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia on October 9.

PSSI had previously asked FIFA and AFC to arrange a "more neutral" referee to replace the Kuwaiti refereeing team led by Ahmed Al-Ali. However, both the highest governing bodies of world and continental football affirmed that there was no valid reason for the change and decided to maintain the original assignment.

Notably, Mr. Ahmed Al-Ali had refereed the match in which Indonesia lost 0-4 to Vietnam in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, causing concern among fans of the archipelago. Some opinions said that FIFA's appointment of this referee was sensitive, in the context of Indonesia competing for a historic spot in the World Cup.

Despite the protests, FIFA and AFC affirmed that all refereeing procedures are carried out according to international standards, ensuring fairness and transparency. The Saudi Arabia - Indonesia match in Riyadh will therefore take place under the direction of the Kuwaiti referee team.

The top two teams in the group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico – the first World Cup to feature 48 teams. The runners-up will meet in a two-legged play-off in November, with the winners advancing to the intercontinental play-off round.

Source: https://znews.vn/indonesia-bi-fifa-doi-gao-nuoc-lanh-post1591444.html