Jakarta. Indonesia’s football federation, PSSI, on Saturday announced John Herdman as the new head coach of the national team, ushering a new era for Indonesian football after months of uncertainty on the sidelines.

Herdman, 50, is considered one of the most accomplished international coaches of his generation, having guided teams to the FIFA World Cup in both the men’s and women’s competitions. PSSI officials said his track record in building competitive national sides was the key reason behind his appointment.

“John Herdman is not just a coach, but a football architect with a strong track record of taking teams to the World Cup,” PSSI said in a statement announcing the appointment on Saturday.

Herdman is the only coach in the world to have guided both the men’s and women’s national teams of the same country to the World Cup. He first rose to prominence with Canada’s women’s team, which he led to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2007 and 2011. Under his leadership, Canada also made Olympic history by securing back-to-back bronze medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.

His success carried over to the men’s game when he took charge of Canada’s senior team in 2018. Herdman masterminded Canada’s qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar — the country’s first appearance at the tournament in 36 years — while overseeing a dramatic rise in their FIFA ranking from 77th to 33rd in the world.

PSSI hopes Herdman can replicate that transformation with Indonesia, whose national team has shown flashes of promise but struggled for consistency on the international stage.

The head coach position has been vacant since October after the departure of Dutch-born former Ajax and Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert. PSSI ended his contract in mid-October after Indonesia failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, just 10 months into a deal that was meant to run until 2027. Kluivert had replaced South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong, who led the national team for four years and remains popular among Indonesian supporters. 

Herdman’s appointment comes with a demanding calendar already in place for 2026. The senior national team is scheduled to compete in the FIFA Series at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta during the FIFA Match Day window from March 23 to 31. Additional FIFA Match Day fixtures are lined up for June, September, October, and November.

The Garudas will also take part in the AFF Cup 2026, which is set to kick off on July 25, providing Herdman with an early opportunity to test his ideas in a competitive regional tournament.

Herdman was issued a written admonishment last March by an independent disciplinary committee of Canada Soccer, following a hearing linked to a drone-spying scandal at the Paris Olympics. Canada Soccer said the committee determined Herdman had committed misconduct under its Disciplinary Code, but imposed only a letter of admonishment — the lightest available sanction — with no suspension or fine.

Herdman, who cooperated with the investigation, said the ruling brought the matter to a close, adding that he had always led “with integrity, transparency, and a deep respect for the game” and was now focused on continuing his coaching career.

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