{
  "id": 9562466,
  "title": "Indonesia Gains an Advantage in the FIFA ASEAN Cup",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/indonesia-gains-an-advantage-in-the-fifa-asean-cup",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-24T13:46:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tempo.co English",
    "slug": "tempo-co-english",
    "url": "https://en.tempo.co/read/2120260/indonesia-gains-an-advantage-in-the-fifa-asean-cup"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Football analyst Mohammad Kusnaeni predicts Indonesia holds an edge over other teams in the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup, running from September 25 to October 5. As the host nation, Indonesia can field a complete squad, an advantage over non-FIFA tournaments like the AFF Cup, Kusnaeni notes. Indonesia's inclusion in the prestigious FIFA calendar allows the national team to call upon players from across Europe. This contrasts with the AFF Championship, where the Garuda squad typically struggles to field its strongest lineup due to non-FIFA status. Consequently, FIFA ASEAN Cup is deemed a Tier 1 tournament, unlike the Tier 2 AFF Cup. Kusnaeni asserts that Indonesia's advantage lies in fielding its strongest lineup, bolstered by the quality and experience of players who have competed abroad under the guidance of coach John Herdman. Hosting the tournament will further motivate Indonesia's players, thanks to the energizing crowd support, he adds. The Garuda squad will play their matches at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta and Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung. Indonesia's Group A includes Singapore, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. The tournament will kick off on September 25 with a match against Singapore, followed by Malaysia on September 28 and Bangladesh on October 1. Indonesia's journey through the Southeast Asian tournament will be determined by the outcomes of these group stage matches.",
  "summary": "Football analyst Mohammad Kusnaeni believes Indonesia has an advantage as the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup host.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Harimau Malaya aim to turn new-look squad into winning start at Fifa Asean Cup",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/harimau-malaya-aim-to-turn-new-look-squad-into-winning-start-at-fifa",
        "published": "2026-09-23T13:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "General : FIFA ASEAN Cup: PM Calls For Strong Support For Harimau Malaya",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/general-fifa-asean-cup-pm-calls-for-strong-support-for-harimau-malaya",
        "published": "2026-09-23T13:51:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Cools eyes pride in inaugural FIFA Asean Cup",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/cools-eyes-pride-in-inaugural-fifa-asean-cup",
        "published": "2026-09-24T08:42:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "RTM to broadcast Harimau Malaya matches in Fifa Asean Cup",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/rtm-to-broadcast-harimau-malaya-matches-in-fifa-asean-cup",
        "published": "2026-09-24T09:46:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}