JAKARTA — Indonesia U-20 national team head coach Nova Arianto has set a clear objective for the upcoming 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers: securing the top spot in Group H. By finishing as group winners, the Garuda Muda aim to guarantee their path to the final tournament in China without relying on the complexities of comparing points with other groups.
Indonesia has been drawn into a challenging Group H alongside Australia, Malaysia, and hosts Laos. “Our primary target is to qualify for the U-20 Asian Cup,” Nova stated in Jakarta on Thursday, May 28, 2026. This ambition comes with the understanding that the competition will be fierce, given the caliber of the opponents involved.
The group stage is expected to be highly competitive. Australia enters the fray as the defending champions from the 2025 edition, while Malaysia brings significant tournament experience, having reached three previous finals. Historically, Indonesia tasted glory in this tournament back in 1961, whereas Laos is looking to make an impact, having reached the quarterfinals only once in 1970.
“This is certainly a very competitive group, and coincidentally, it features the same opponents we faced in the AFF U-19 championship,” Nova noted, acknowledging the familiarity of the rivalries.
The 2027 U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers will operate under a new format introduced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The eight group winners and the seven best runners-up will advance to the final tournament, which is scheduled to take place in China from March 24 to April 10, 2027. Additionally, the AFC has implemented a new promotion and relegation system, where the bottom-placed team in each group will be relegated to the Development Phase for the subsequent edition.
To prepare for these qualifiers, the Garuda Muda are currently sharpening their squad through the 2026 ASEAN U-19 Boys’ Championship, hosted in Medan, North Sumatra. As both the tournament host and defending champion, Indonesia is competing in Group A alongside Vietnam, Timor-Leste, and Myanmar, using the experience to build momentum for their campaign in the Asian Cup qualifiers.
Summary
Indonesia U-20 head coach Nova Arianto has established a goal of winning Group H in the upcoming 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers to secure an automatic spot in the final tournament. The team faces tough competition from Australia, Malaysia, and hosts Laos in this phase. The qualifiers will utilize a new AFC format where only group winners and the seven best runners-up advance to the tournament in China.
To prepare for these qualifiers, the squad is currently participating in the 2026 ASEAN U-19 Boys’ Championship in Medan. This tournament serves as a vital platform for building momentum and refining team performance against regional rivals. The players are focused on improving their readiness as they aim to navigate the challenging qualification process successfully.