Indonesia and Thailand Meet in Inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup Final in Jakarta

Indonesia and Thailand are competing for the title of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in a single final at Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno (SUGBK) in Jakarta on Monday evening, October 5, 2026, with kickoff set for 20:00 WIB, according to match previews published by detik.com and kumparan.com.

How both teams reached the final

Indonesia finished top of Group A with seven points from three matches, according to detik.com. The group campaign included a 2-0 win over Singapore and a 0-0 draw with Malaysia, in which Indonesia played with ten men after a red card. In the decisive group match, Indonesia beat Bangladesh 9-2, according to detik.com. Indonesia and Malaysia both finished on seven points with the same goal difference, but Indonesia topped the group on goals scored.

Thailand won Group B with six points after beating Pakistan and Vietnam in their opening matches, detik.com reported. Malaysia, despite a 6-0 win over Singapore, finished as Group A runner-up and was set to play the Group B runner-up in a third-place match.

A lopsided recent history

Indonesia and Thailand have met 78 times in official competition since 1957, according to a head-to-head report by Kontan's sportsetup.kontan.co.id. Thailand holds the edge in the all-time series, and Indonesia's most recent win over its rival in a major final dates back a decade.

Indonesia's win over Thailand in the first leg of the 2016 AFF Cup final remains the team's last victory over its neighbor in a major decider, according to Kontan's report. In the six meetings since, Indonesia has lost three and drawn three.

Security and crowd arrangements in Jakarta

Jakarta police and the city's Transportation Department deployed personnel across multiple points around GBK to manage traffic ahead of kickoff, kumparan.com reported. Eighty traffic officers from the Transportation Department were stationed around the stadium, and authorities published eight alternative routes linking areas such as Blok M, Tanah Abang, Slipi, Tebet and Kampung Melayu so residents could avoid congestion near the venue.

The Transportation Department also urged residents to adjust travel times and follow officers' instructions around the stadium, according to the same report.

Former players attend as guests

Former Spain international Pedro Rodriguez and former Bulgaria international Dimitar Berbatov took part in a FIFA "Boots for All" community program at Mandiri University in Jakarta on the day of the final, Antara's babel.antaranews.com reported. Both said they planned to attend the match in person. Asked about the outcome, Pedro said he hoped Indonesia would become champion, while Berbatov joked about the easy popularity of backing the host nation and said he hoped for an entertaining match.

What is not yet known

As of publication, the final had not yet kicked off, and no source consulted for this report had confirmed a result. Indonesia's lineup was expected to be unchanged from the Bangladesh match, built around goalkeeper Emil Audero and a defense featuring Rizky Ridho, Elkan Baggott and Justin Hubner, according to detik.com's preview, with coach John Herdman tipped to keep the same starting eleven.