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Indonesia is regrettable. |
With a population of over 284 million, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world , behind only India, China and the United States. However, the archipelago nation will not be participating in the 2026 World Cup, even though the tournament has expanded to 48 teams.
Along with three other population "giants" India (1.42 billion), China (1.41 billion) and Pakistan (241 million), Indonesia continues to miss the biggest football festival on the planet, leaving disappointment for millions of fans.
Indonesia entered the 2026 World Cup AFC qualifiers with high expectations. Under the guidance of coach Shin Tae-yong, "Garuda" showed potential in the second and third qualifying rounds. Victories against Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and China, along with the brilliance of naturalized stars like Thom Haye, have sparked hope among fans.
However, the dream was shattered in the fourth qualifying round. In a challenging Group B with Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Indonesia lost both matches. These heavy defeats exposed the weakness of the team.
Indonesia's loss of a World Cup ticket also marks the absence of the four countries with the largest populations in the world (excluding the host US) at the 2026 World Cup.
This also reflects the trend that population size does not guarantee success for countries in football. On the other hand, two small teams, Cape Verde (587,000 people) and Curaçao (156,000 people) are getting closer to participating in the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://znews.vn/ky-luc-buon-cua-tuyen-indonesia-post1593326.html
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