Indonesia vs Thailand: AFF Futsal Final Showdown Awaits

If, tomorrow around midnight, your Balinese neighbours start shouting or even setting off fireworks, don’t be alarmed. Most likely, it will mean that the Indonesian national team have won the AFF Futsal Cup final.

At the tournament in Bangkok, Indonesia beat Vietnam in the semi-final (3–2). In doing so, Héctor Souto’s side had already achieved their minimum target — before the tournament, the coach modestly said that reaching the semi-finals was the aim.

Now Indonesia face a huge, high-stakes showdown against the hosts and 16-time champions — Thailand.

The group stage went almost perfectly for Indonesia. They started with a 7–0 thrashing of Brunei, then edged past their tough neighbours Malaysia 1–0, playing with great discipline. The biggest test in Group B, however, was the match against Australia.

Indonesia surprisingly conceded twice very quickly and went into the break 0–2 down. The Australians were strong and aggressive, but in the second half the ‘Garuda’ transformed. In the 23rd minute, Andres Dwi Saputra pulled one back — 1–2. Then, five minutes from time, he completed his brace to make it 2–2. The match looked set to finish level, but Indonesia decided to settle it in normal time. In the final minute, Muhammad Sandjaya struck the winner — 3–2. That spirited comeback win allowed Indonesia to finish top of the group, avoiding an early meeting with Thailand.

On 10 April, at the Nonthaburi Hall exhibition centre, Indonesia faced Vietnam, who many had tipped as favourites.

The first half belonged to the ‘Garuda’: Andarias Karet scored twice by the 13th minute (2–0).

After the break, Vietnam tried to turn the game around: in the 22nd minute Nguyen Da Hai pulled one back. But just a minute later, Muhammad Sandjaya restored the two-goal cushion — 3–1. In the 30th minute, Trinh Cong Dai reduced the deficit again to make it 3–2, and the final ten minutes were tense. But the Indonesian defence, led by goalkeeper Muhammad Albagir, held firm.

The decisive match will take place on Sunday, 12 April 2026, at the same venue, the Nonthaburi Sports Complex in Bangkok. Kick-off is at 20:00 Western Indonesian Time (WIB). For Bali residents (WITA), the live broadcast starts at 21:00.

Thailand are not just opponents — they are the region’s true powerhouse, with 16 ASEAN Cup titles. And for Indonesia, there is a tough historical pattern: in all four previous finals against the ‘War Elephants’, the ‘Garuda’ have lost. Indonesia have never lifted the trophy in a head-to-head final against Thailand.

And although, before the tournament, Indonesia’s head coach said he wasn’t too concerned about the final result and that the main thing was for fans to see full commitment, now that the title is within touching distance, hardly anyone will want to stop. Indonesia have a genuine chance to break the hegemony and, for the first time in history, beat Thailand in the final of a continental championship. For millions of fans across the country, this is more than just a game — it’s a chance for a historic revenge.
Sources: detik, tribrataNews