John Herdman was officially introduced as the coach of Indonesia's national team by PSSI on January 13, 2026, in Jakarta. The English coach explained that his decision was based on Indonesia's vision and great opportunities, not FIFA rankings. He rejected offers from Honduras and Jamaica despite their higher rankings.
On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, PSSI held the official introduction of John Herdman as the coach of Indonesia's national team at Ballroom 1, Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta, at 09:30 WIB. The event began with the singing of Indonesia Raya and a video montage of Herdman's actions while coaching Canada's national team.
The 50-year-old Herdman expressed his excitement about coming to Indonesia with his family. "I am very excited to come to Indonesia with my family. This is a new country and culture for me," he said. He also thanked PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir for the trust given. "Thank you, Mr. Erick, for the support and trust in me as the coach of the Indonesian national team," he stated.
During the session, Herdman revealed the reasons for rejecting offers from Honduras (FIFA rank 64) and Jamaica in December 2025. His decision was not based on FIFA rankings but on PSSI's vision to elevate Indonesia to new heights. "My career so far has been about building, working with federations that have the spirit and vision to take this country to places it has never reached before," he emphasized.
He is confident that Indonesia is ready with its infrastructure, human resources, and professional domestic league. "I am very sure, from the bottom of my heart, hearing from the people here, this country is ready," said the former Canada coach who led them to the 2022 World Cup. "There are no more excuses. We have the facilities, we have the ability, we have a professional league."
Herdman highlighted the great opportunities to achieve goals like qualifying for the World Cup. "This is not about rankings, this is not about this team having a better spot so you can qualify for the World Cup. There is a big opportunity in Indonesia to achieve something," he revealed. He promised to bring the Garuda to the world stage, supported by its amazing fans. "There are definitely goals and targets for us. I see Indonesia filled with incredible fans. This is an opportunity for me to show the fans to bring Garuda to the world stage."
Indonesia's national team is scheduled to face opponents ranked below 100 in FIFA rankings in the 2026 FIFA Series.
