The 2027 Asian Cup will serve as the test for the Indonesia National Team under John Herdman, following their victory at the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

Indonesia National Team have little time to bask in the euphoria of winning the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup. Overcoming Thailand in a dramatic penalty shootout marked a major milestone for John Herdman's squad. Yet an even bigger challenge already lies ahead: 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. 

This victory over Thailand has given the Garuda Squad a massive confidence boost. The final was a fiercely contested affair that finished 2-2 after extra time, before Indonesia sealed a 4-2 win on penalties. However, success in Southeast Asian Football does not automatically translate to an easier path at the continental level.

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup will be held from 7 January to 5 February 2027, featuring 24 national teams drawn into six separate groups. 

Indonesia has approximately three months to finalise and refine their preparations ahead of this far more competitive tournament. 

Group F Proves A Daunting Test For Indonesia National Team

The draw placed Indonesia in Group F alongside Japan, Qatar and Thailand. This line-up presents three distinct, difficult challenges for the Garuda side. 

As well as facing one of Asia's traditional football powerhouses, Indonesia will go up against the defending Asian Cup champions, and meet once again the regional rival they just defeated in the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup Final.

Japan will be Indonesia's opening test. The Blue Samurai are one of the dominant forces in Asian Football, having lifted the Asian Cup title on four previous occasions. They are targeting a fifth crown, having last won the tournament back in 2011.

Their second opponent is no less formidable. Qatar enter the tournament as reigning back-to-back champions, having won both the 2019 and 2023 editions. This track record and big match experience means Indonesia will need to prepare carefully for this fixture.

Meanwhile, the final group stage match against Thailand is set to be a highly charged, emotional encounter. 

The War Elephants will almost certainly use their defeat to Indonesia at the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup Final as extra motivation to seek revenge.

For Indonesia, this fixture is about far more than just regional pride: it will be a critical opportunity to secure a position in the race for qualification to the Round of 16.

The gap in FIFA Rankings puts the scale of the challenge facing Indonesia into clear perspective.

In the October 2026 FIFA Rankings update, Japan sit 17th in the world, Qatar rank 60th, Thailand are placed 93rd, while Indonesia currently sits at 116th. 

While rankings are never the sole predictor of Match Results, this data underlines just how much work John Herdman's squad still has to complete before the tournament kicks off. 

2027 AFC Asian Cup Format

During the group stage, every team will play three matches against the other members of their group. The top two placed teams from each group, plus the four best third-placed teams across all groups, will progress to the Round of 16. 

Under this format, Indonesia's qualification hopes do not rest solely on fighting for one of the top two group positions, but also on securing consistent results across all three of their group fixtures.

From the Round of 16 onwards, the tournament switches to a straight knockout format. There is no second chance for any team that loses a match at this stage.

For John Herdman, the immediate priority now is to maintain the positive momentum built by winning the FIFA ASEAN Cup title. 

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup represents the chance for Herdman to prove that their ASEAN Cup triumph was not a fluke, and guide the Garuda to an impressive run at Asia's biggest football tournament.