I want to play on a neutral ground.

BFA is extremely upset.

On October 17th (Vietnam time), the Football Association of Indonesia (BFA) posted a statement on its official social media page condemning the negative behavior of Indonesian fans: "The BFA has been monitoring this situation for the past few days. We cannot accept the behavior of Indonesian football fans directed at the BFA and the Bahrain national team after the recent match between the two teams in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The BFA strongly condemns the slanderous and threatening remarks from Indonesian fans online. This is unacceptable and contrary to the noble purpose of football and sports : connecting people around the world."

The BFA's announcement on its official social media page.

The BFA stated: "To ensure the safety of our members, especially the Bahrain players, the BFA is preparing to send a complaint to FIFA and AFC regarding the unacceptable behavior we have endured. The threats and defamation could also affect the safety of the Bahrain team when we travel to Jakarta for the return match against Indonesia (scheduled for March 25, 2025). The BFA also requests that this match be moved outside Indonesian territory to ensure safety. This is the BFA's top priority. In particular, the safety of the teams is also a top priority for FIFA and AFC."

According to the BFA, many overzealous Indonesian fans have been relentlessly attacking Bahraini players on their personal social media accounts, even threatening their lives. This stems from the Indonesian fans' anger following the 2-2 draw against Bahrain on October 10th. They believe the referee was biased towards the West Asian team, allowing the game to continue despite the added time having expired, resulting in Indonesia losing the victory after conceding a goal in the 90+9th minute (the match had 6 minutes of added time).

Indonesia also filed a complaint against the referee with the AFC, but it was rejected.

What did the Indonesian side say?

The Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) has also received information about the BFA's request to FIFA and AFC to change the venue for the match. PSSI Executive Committee member Arya Sinulingga responded on behalf of PSSI regarding this matter. Mr. Arya emphasized that PSSI will ensure the safety of the entire Bahrain team for the match scheduled for March 2025.

The match between Bahrain and Indonesia generated a lot of media attention.

CNN Indonesia quoted Arya as saying: "We will write to the AFC to declare that the match will be played safely and fairly in Jakarta. We will ensure the security, safety, and comfort of the Bahrain team. The Bahrain side does not need to worry about coming to Indonesia. I believe that Indonesian citizens are polite people. Indonesia is always friendly to all tourists. We have also proven our ability to organize tournaments by successfully hosting the 2023 U-17 World Cup finals."

The rematch between the Indonesian and Bahrain national teams is scheduled to take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on March 25, 2025. This stadium has a capacity of 78,000 seats. Therefore, Indonesia's opponents always face the noisy atmosphere and mental pressure whenever they play away at this stadium.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bi-cdv-indonesia-de-doa-du-doi-bahrain-cau-cuu-fifa-va-afc-muon-da-san-trung-lap-185241017010121869.htm