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REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — PSSI General Chairman Erick Thohir invites Indonesians to come directly to Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium, Friday, March 27, 2026, as the Indonesian national team begins its fight in the FIFA Series.
In this international tournament of the FIFA Grade A category, Indonesia will be one of the hosts and play the inaugural match against the national team of Saint Kitts and Nevis. For Erick, the direct support of the supporters in the stadium will be a great energy for the Garuda squad which is entering a new era with coach John Herdman.
“We want people to come to the stadium, give direct support to the national team. The atmosphere of GBK has always been a great strength for our players,” Erick said in Jakarta, Thursday (26/2/2026).
A similar message was also delivered by the team's flagship defender Rizky Ridho, who hoped for the full support of the Red and White supporters. Ridho insists the players are ready to fight their best to make Indonesia's name shine.
“Yes, we ask for his prayers and support so that we can be even better in the future. Whoever the coach is please supported, please be supported. We will fight also desperately for this country, please support us,” Ridho said after a training session on Tuesday (24/3/2026).
For the players, the presence of tens of thousands of supporters at GBK is not just a spectacle, but also an additional source of motivation on the pitch.
Ahead of the match, the Indonesian national team underwent the last official training with high intensity under the direction of coach John Herdman. The England coach said he was impressed with the spirit of the players while representing Indonesia.
“It is an honour to be here with the team, with a new staff and a new opportunity to feel the intensity and pride of these players in representing Indonesia. I now know why people play for this country,” Herdman said. He insists the players understand the huge responsibility they incur.
“Representing this country is an honor and a privilege they have to fight for, and we are fighting for it by working to make sure everything goes smoothly on Friday,” he continued.
“We are very excited. It's going to be a big game against Saint Kitts and Nevis. I hope all the fans—80,000 people—come to GBK to represent together as we strive to win the FIFA series.“
According to Herdman, those Caribbean teams have a distinctive game character. He had faced Saint Kitts and Nevis in 2019 and admitted the match was very difficult.
“The analysis tells us that they have a transition profile, strength, speed and are very direct. So we had to be ready for a counter-attack,” he explained.
However, with new coaches in both teams, Herdman chose to focus on the identity of the Indonesian national team. “We have to focus on ourselves, the identity of our national team, a new identity.
“One of the highlights in the Indonesian squad this time was the return of defender Elkan Baggott, who played in the Championship competition, England's Herdman even joked about the player's tall posture.
But he insists that Baggott is an important player for the future of the national team. “I was very impressed. He played in the Championship League at high intensity. I hope he brings that professionalism to this team. He is a youth and future player of the National Team.“
For fans who want to watch the match live, FIFA Series tickets can be purchased online through the official ticketing platform PSSI. The committee also urged spectators to arrive early to the stadium to avoid long lines, use public transport if possible, and comply with traffic engineering around the Senayan area.
With the legendary GBK atmosphere and the support of tens of thousands of fans, the match against Saint Kitts and Nevis is predicted to be an important stage for the Indonesian national team to embark on its journey in the FIFA Series.
Erick Thohir hopes this match will be the momentum of a revival of the national football spirit. “The team is ready, the coach is ready. Now it is the turn of all of us as supporters to fulfill GBK and give full support to Garuda,” concluded Erick.
