Indonesia's National Futsal Coach Confident of Winning the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship

The head coach of Indonesia's futsal team is brimming with confidence before the final match against Iran on February 7.

Ahead of the Asian Futsal Championship final against Iran, Indonesia's head coach Hector Souto expressed strong confidence, stating that his players are free from pressure and trusting that the home crowd will continue to provide strong support.

According to Coach Souto, this tournament holds special significance for Indonesia as the team has surpassed its best historical performance. Previously, Indonesia had only reached the quarterfinals once, but this time they have advanced directly to the final.

The 5-3 victory over Japan in the semifinals, which went into extra time, was seen as an emotional display by the home team. Coach Souto believes that the passionate atmosphere in the stands did not create negative pressure but rather energized the entire squad.

“This kind of adrenaline turned it into something positive instead of negative,” Souto stated. “We managed it well because we have experienced this before in friendly matches here with 15,000 spectators. Now we have reached the final of one of the biggest futsal tournaments in Asia and the world.”

The Spanish coach emphasized that in the final, the decisive factor will still be what happens on the court, although the fans' support is undeniably an advantage. “In the final, the crowd's support will not be the deciding factor because the most important thing is what happens on the court. But it is a positive element for us since they always back us, and I believe that will continue.”

When asked about their opponent Iran, Coach Souto said that the reigning champions face greater pressure. “Iran has played 105 matches in this tournament (over the years) and lost only 4 times, so we are under no pressure. The pressure is on Iran. They are the defending champions and have players competing abroad. They possess skill and outstanding players.”

Nevertheless, the Indonesian coach also admitted that fitness is a concern they must pay special attention to, as they played later and had to go through extra time in the semifinals. “We have to recover well because we finished the match later than them and had extra time. The whole team is in good form, unity gives us motivation, we understand each other, and with our tactics, I am confident we can compete.”

The final match between Indonesia and Iran will take place at 7:00 PM on February 7.