PSSI Request the Kuwaiti Referee to be Replaced in the Fourth Round of the World Cup Qualifiers

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Chairman Erick Thohir said he had sent a letter of objection to the AFC and FIFA regarding the referee appointed to officiate the round four matches of the 2026 Asian Zone World Cup Qualifier. The Kuwaiti referee was assigned the lead for Indonesia's match against Saudi Arabia and Iraq in this round.

“Preparing for October, the pressure is getting higher. Initially the host was neutral, but later the designation was changed where Saudi Arabia and Qatar were believed to be the host,” Erick said in Jakarta on Tuesday (16/9/2025).

Erick confirmed that the schedule of matches was a concern for the PSSI. Therefore, it filed an objection as well as a request for a schedule change, which was subsequently approved.

He also said PSSI was still waiting for an answer regarding the change of referee. Therefore, the referee who will be assigned is from Kuwait.

The general secretary of the PSSI had already sent letters to FIFA, while Erick sent directly to the AFC in the hope that referees would be replaced from more neutral countries, such as Japan, Australia, or even from Europe.

Erick also alluded to a number of technical constraints. The previous test against Kuwait was void, while escorts when playing overseas were briefly off the mark such as the issue of delays to the pitch.

To that end, PSSI has commissioned an advance team to prepare more decent accommodation. He added that the new European players would arrive on October 6, train the day after, and then play on October 8.

The regulation yellow card is also certain to be whittled down in the next phase, although Erick is yet to confirm the impact for the team. On the other hand, the number of Indonesian supporters in the stadium will be limited. “The number of our supporters there is also limited, PSSI anticipates X factor, especially referees appointed to be more neutral,” he said.