FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final: Indonesia beat Thailand on penalties in the FIFA ASEAN Cup final to end their long wait for a senior regional trophy. The country had never won the AFF ASEAN Championship, finishing runner-up on six occasions.
But on Monday, backed by a passionate home crowd in Jakarta, Tim Garuda made history. For Thailand, it was a second consecutive heartbreak in the final, having lost the ASEAN Championship to Vietnam just over a month ago.
The game at the Bung Karno Stadium kicked off after a vibrant closing ceremony. But there weren’t many fireworks on the pitch. Indonesia were more than willing to commit forward and try to open up the Thai defence, but the War Elephants were content with counterattacking.
Indonesian forward Mitchell Baker and winger Calvin Verdonk saw their efforts go wide, but neither was dominating the game. The first half remained goalless, and it was a similar pattern of play after the interval.
The game then delivered a thrilling finale in dramatic circumstances. Thailand left-back Nicholas Mickelson received a second yellow card in five minutes, and his team were reduced to 10 men in the 81st minute. Indonesia capitalized from the resulting free-kick. Dean James’s effort from the edge of the box took a deflection off Thai midfielder Iklas Sanron and went past keeper Saranon Anuin to put the hosts ahead.
The home crowd could already feel a hand on the trophy, but seven-time ASEAN Champions were not going to give up that easily. In the 87th minute, Seksan Ratree’s cross found Sanron in the box, and he volleyed in to draw his side level. The teams went into extra time, and the drama continued.
The first 15 minutes saw both sides tread with caution, but in the 111th minute, Anthony Hudson’s 10-men stunned the hosts. Indonesia failed to deal with a long ball from Anuin, and Anan Yodsangwal collected the ball to pick out Peeradol Chamrasamee. The Port FC midfielder sliced a finish past Emil Audero.
With nerves jangling and the Indonesian contingent going through a familiar feeling of heartbreak, the home side were level in the 116th minute. Rizky Ridho played a one-two on the right side with Egy Maulana Vikri before crossing the ball across goal. Aunin got a hand to it but only parried it in Elkan Baggott’s path, and centre-back saw his shot go in off the underside of the bar to take the final to the penalties.
Both teams scored with their first two penalties each, and Baggott put Indonesia 3-2 ahead. Thailand captain Sarach Yooyen then saw his effort come off the post, and Shayne Pattynama then scored to put Indonesia firmly in control. Nattapong Sayriya stepped up for the War Elephants, but his effort was pushed away by Emil Audero to seal the win and spark scenes of jubilation in Jakarta and beyond.
Indonesia finally ended the football-mad nation’s long wait for a major championship win. Tim Garuda’s last major honor came in 1991, when they won the gold medal at the SEA Games. But this triumph means they have their first ever major regional trophy. Indonesian football finally have its big moment, and their fans deserve it after years and years of heartbreak.
There was some skepticism around FIFA ASEAN Cup, when it was first announced. But Indonesia’s win propels the tournament into instant recognition and you can’t tell Indonesian fans that it is a second fiddle to the ASEAN Championship. Indonesia finally have their moment and their fans deserve it after years and years of heartbreak.
