Teknowarta – Indonesia U-17 National Team head coach, Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, has officially taken full responsibility following the team’s early exit from the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup. This disappointing result also means the Garuda Muda squad has failed to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The team’s fate was sealed after suffering a 1-3 defeat against Japan in their final Group B fixture on Wednesday (13/5/2026) local time. The loss effectively left Indonesia at the bottom of the group standings, ending their journey in the prestigious tournament.
The Indonesia U-17 team concluded the group stage with only three points, falling behind China and Qatar based on head-to-head records. Meanwhile, Japan successfully advanced to the quarter-finals as group winners, simultaneously securing their qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
This outcome is particularly disheartening given the team’s past performance. In the previous edition, the Indonesia U-17 squad reached the quarter-finals and successfully qualified for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, a milestone they were unable to replicate this year.
“As the head coach, I take full responsibility for our failure to repeat the success the team achieved last year,” Kurniawan stated in an official press release on Wednesday (13/5/2026).
The legendary former striker also offered a sincere apology for the team’s performance. Despite the outcome, he expressed deep appreciation for the dedication shown by his players and support staff throughout the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup.
“On my own behalf and as the head coach in charge of this team, I apologize for this failure,” he remarked. “However, I remain grateful to all the staff working behind the scenes and thankful for the hard work displayed by the players.”
Looking ahead, Kurniawan urged the young athletes not to lose heart. The Indonesian football legend hopes that Mathew Baker and his teammates will continue to hone their skills and eventually lead the Merah Putih to future success.
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“Their careers are still very long. I hope they continue to grow and develop into the kind of players who will eventually bring home achievements in the future,” Kurniawan concluded.
Summary
The Indonesia U-17 National Team failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup after suffering a 1-3 defeat against Japan in their final AFC U-17 Asian Cup group match. This loss left the squad at the bottom of Group B with only three points, trailing behind China and Qatar. The result marks a setback for the team, which had successfully reached the quarter-finals in the previous edition of the tournament.
Head coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto has officially taken full responsibility and apologized for the team’s early exit. Despite the disappointment, he praised the hard work of the players and support staff throughout the competition. Kurniawan encouraged the young athletes to remain motivated and continue developing their skills for future opportunities with the national team.