Indonesia Absent from FIFA Matchday: John Herdman Holds Training Camp in Bali, National Team World Ranking Is at Risk of Dropping

Indonesia National Team will still proceed with their scheduled activities for the November 2026 FIFA Matchday period, even though no international matches are confirmed. Head coach John Herdman has opted to hold a centralized training camp in Bali from 9 to 17 November, as a replacement for the cancelled friendly match plans.

This decision removes the opportunity for Garuda Squad to test their performance against other nations, as well as the chance to gain additional FIFA Ranking points. This comes at a time when Indonesia's global ranking position is already under pressure from rival nations that have scheduled official competitive matches during this window.

As of 9 November monitoring data, Indonesia currently sits at 116th position with 1166.50 ranking points. Kazakhstan, ranked immediately below Indonesia, trails by just 0.24 points.

Cancelled Jordan Away Fixture

Previously, Indonesia National Team was scheduled to play an international friendly against Jordan in Amman this November. However PSSI cancelled this fixture after reviewing security conditions in the Middle East region.

The postponement of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup has also disrupted preparation schedules for multiple national teams. Friendly matches originally arranged as part of tournament lead-up preparations have been scrapped across many countries.

PSSI did attempt to source replacement opponent nations for this window, but these plans could not be finalised due to extremely limited remaining time.

PSSI National Teams Body Chairman Sumardji confirmed that this decision was agreed following joint consultation with John Herdman and squad representatives.

"We did initiate talks and approach other countries for fixtures, but as stated before, the timeline was simply too tight. That is why we ultimately decided not to proceed with any matches this window," Sumardji stated in Jakarta on Monday, 9 November 2026.

John Herdman Utilises Training Camp For Player Evaluation

With no international matches taking place, Herdman has refocused priorities on squad building through concentrated group training. A total of 23 players have been called up for the Bali training camp.

This programme allows the coaching staff to assess player capabilities first hand, including for several players receiving their first introduction to the national team environment.

Herdman had previously published an official explanation for the fixture cancellation.

"Following the postponement of the AFC Asian Cup, and taking into account the escalating regional security situation in the Middle East, we have taken the decision not to proceed with the match fixtures that had previously been planned in the region," John Herdman was quoted via the official PSSI website.

This training camp will also be used to solidify shared tactical understanding and build on-field working chemistry between players.

With undivided focus on training sessions rather than match day preparation, Herdman will be able to conduct full structured evaluations across all aspects of the squad's play.

Training Camp Will Not Generate FIFA Ranking Points

While this camp delivers valuable benefits for long term squad development, it will not result in any additional FIFA ranking points. The global ranking system only adjusts point totals based on results from FIFA-recognised official international matches.

This means Indonesia will not gain any ranking points solely from conducting training sessions or improving player fitness. Additional points can only be earned when the Garuda Squad competes in official international matches and achieves results that qualify under FIFA's ranking calculation rules.

As a consequence, Indonesia will register zero ranking point gains during this November window. In contrast, Kazakhstan will play two UEFA Nations League fixtures, while Sudan has two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches scheduled.

Should both these nations record positive results from their fixtures, Indonesia's 116th place ranking is at direct risk of being overtaken. FIFA is scheduled to publish the next official global ranking update on 18 November 2026.

An Opportunity To Build Squad Foundations For Future Fixtures

Despite missing out on match play this November, the Bali training camp still holds critical value for the Indonesia National Team's long term preparation. Herdman will use this uninterrupted period to assess individual player characteristics, strengthen squad communication, and finalise core team structure.

The key challenge will be translating the work completed in training into consistent on-pitch performance once Indonesia returns to competitive international matches. Both overall team improvement and FIFA ranking progress will ultimately require official matches and tangible results on the field.

For the Garuda Squad, this November break represents a period to lay solid team foundations, while accepting the short term risk of falling behind in the ranking race with no points being earned this window.

The results of Herdman's work during the Bali camp will only be truly put to the test once the Indonesia National Team returns to action against official international opposition.