Unable to defeat Vietnam U17, Indonesia U17 urgently naturalizes three players.

Coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto mentioned that Indonesia U17 will incorporate three naturalized players for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 finals.

After drawing 0-0 with Vietnam U17 and failing to advance to the semifinals of the Southeast Asia U17 Championship 2026, the Indonesia U17 team swiftly shifted focus to the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 finals, which will take place in Saudi Arabia from May 5 to May 22, 2026.

In the Southeast Asia U17 Championship 2026, Indonesia U17's journey ended right in the Group A stage. They were eliminated following a 0-0 draw with Vietnam U17 at Gelora Delta Stadium, Sidoarjo, on the evening of April 19.

In the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 finals, Indonesia U17 will compete in Group B. There, they will face strong opponents such as Japan, China, and Qatar.

The head coach of Indonesia U17, Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, said the team will soon prepare the best squad for the tournament. He also explained that the number of players taken will comply with the competition regulations.

"Regarding the squad, we will bring 23 players, and the initial registration list includes 50 names," Kurniawan stated.

Kurniawan also revealed that player evaluations will be conducted promptly. He plans to review all registered players before finalizing the list.

"In the coming days, we will evaluate the existing players."

Additionally, Indonesia U17 may be reinforced with new faces to strengthen the team. Kurniawan indicated that three players are expected to join.

"At the AFC U17 Asian Cup finals, if everything goes smoothly, we will have three additional players," he shared.

Kurniawan later disclosed the identities of these players: Matthew Baker (Melbourne City, Australia), Mike Rajasa (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), and Noha Pohan Simangunsong (NAC Breda, Netherlands).

"There are Matthew Baker, Noha Pohan, and Mike Rajasa – the goalkeeper. Therefore, we will carefully consider to select the final 23 players."