Persib Bandung failed to advance to the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/2026 after losing 1-3 on aggregate to Ratchaburi FC, despite a 1-0 win in the second leg at Stadion Gelora Bandung Lautan Api on February 18, 2026. Post-match fan unrest has raised the threat of heavy sanctions from the AFC, while refereeing decisions sparked controversy.
Persib Bandung ended its run in the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/2026 with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ratchaburi FC in the second leg on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at Stadion Gelora Bandung Lautan Api. The lone goal was scored by Andrew Jung in the 40th minute, but this was insufficient to overturn the 0-3 deficit from the first leg in Thailand, resulting in a 1-3 aggregate loss.
The match was marred by controversies surrounding referee Majed Al Shamrani's decisions, including a straight red card to Uilliam Barros in first-half stoppage time without VAR review. This forced Persib to play with 10 men for the entire second half. Coach Bojan Hodak stated, “I think in the first 45 minutes we played quite well. They defended with ten players. We scored one goal, there was one goal disallowed and had some chances.” He added that Persib plans to send an objection letter regarding the refereeing, though he acknowledged the first-leg loss as the primary factor in the failure.
Andrew Jung, named man of the match, expressed disappointment: “As the coach said, we played well in the first half. We had chances, we scored a goal.” He highlighted the red card's impact in complicating efforts to reverse the aggregate.
After the final whistle, some supporters invaded the pitch amid a mix of euphoria and disappointment, with around a hundred attempting to approach match officials and visiting players. Bojan Hodak intervened to calm the crowd, saying, “There were about a hundred people who damaged that. The team could be heavily fined because of them.” This incident risks heavy AFC sanctions, including fines of hundreds of thousands of US dollars or spectator bans in future Asian competitions.
Ratchaburi coach Worrawoot Srimaka commented on Persib fans' fervor: “Indonesian supporters are more enthusiastic and aggressive.” Despite the second-leg defeat, Ratchaburi advanced on aggregate and now awaits its quarterfinal opponent.
Throughout the competition, Persib earned approximately Rp10.1 billion from participation bonuses and match results, though this is at risk of reduction due to potential sanctions. With Persib's elimination, six teams have secured quarterfinal spots, including Ratchaburi FC.
