Indonesia Surpasses Australia in Number of Overseas Players for World Cup Qualifiers

As Indonesia prepares for the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, the national team has assembled more overseas-based players than Australia. The Socceroos recently announced a 26-man squad for their matches against Indonesia and China, featuring 16 players competing abroad and 10 from the domestic league.
 
Experienced goalkeeper Mat Ryan, currently playing for Lens in France, has been called up, along with Ipswich Town defender Cam Burgess and St. Pauli’s star midfielder Jackson Irvine. Striker Kusini Yengi, who has earned 11 international caps, is also included in the squad.  

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s head coach, Patrick Kluivert, has summoned 21 overseas-based players out of the 30-man squad for the upcoming matches. The list includes notable names such as Jay Idzes, Maarten Paes, Calvin Verdonk, Marselino Ferdinan, and Pratama Arhan. Oxford United’s Ole Romeny has also received his first call-up following the completion of his naturalization process.  
The number of Indonesia’s foreign-based players continues to grow, with Emil Audero (Palermo), Dean James (Go Ahead Eagles), and Joey Pelupessy (Lommel) now eligible after finalizing their federation switches. Kluivert is expected to make final roster cuts before the crucial clash against Australia.  

The match, set to take place at Sydney Football Stadium, will be a pivotal moment for Indonesia as they aim to secure a positive result and keep their World Cup dreams alive.