The first international window of 2025 is finally upon us with several Southeast Asian nations all set for key qualification matches in the next week or so.
Indonesia will return to FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers action with new man Patrick Kluivert at the helm when they travel to Sydney to take on Australia before returning home to face Bahrain five days later.
Reigning ASEAN champions Vietnam will take on fellow ASEAN nation Laos, while the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Brunei DS, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia will all begin their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification campaign in this month’s FIFA international window.
A new era kicks off in Indonesian football under the tutelage of Dutch football legend Patrick Kluivert when they take on second placed Australia in a crucial Group C clash at the Sydney Football Stadium on Thursday.
Key centre-back Jay Idzes will come into this match on the back of keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw against second-placed Napoli in the Serie A during the weekend.
Australia-based Brisbane Roar forward Rafael Struick will be a key figure in attack while Team Garuda will see three new faces in the squad, including three-time Serie A winning now Palermo goalkeeper Emil Audero.
Indonesia are currently third in a tight-looking Group C with six points, having won their first match of the campaign last time out, a 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia and will return home to face Bahrain on March 25.
Fresh from winning the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™, Vietnam were back in action on Wednesday with Nguyen Hai Long and Nguyen Van Vi’s goals helping them defeat Cambodia 2-1.
The match was in preparation for their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification opener against fellow Southeast Asian nation Laos on March 25 which will be held at Go Dau Stadium, the home of Becamex Binh Duong.
The Philippines will begin their journey to return to the AFC Asian Cup having missed out on the 2023 edition but a recent resurgence gives them renewed hope ahead of the new qualification campaign.
Gerrit Holtmann and Javi Mariona miss out through injury but the return of Buriram United defender Jefferson Tabinas is a major boost for the team, with the 26-year-old regularly featuring in Thai League 1, AFC Champions League Elite and ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ this season as the Filipinos are set to take on Maldives at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium.
Thailand will also take on South Asian opposition in Sri Lanka in their Group D opener at the Rajamangala Stadium with Teerasil Dangda and Theerathon Bunmathan continued to be left out while Ekanit Panya and Pansa Hemviboon are notable omissions from the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ squad.
On the flip side, several youngsters are selected including BG Pathum United midfielder Airfan Doloh who could be set for an extended run in during their warm-up match against Afghanistan on Friday as Masatada Ishii gauges his options ahead of the important clash.
Road to Saudi Arabia also begins for Singapore on March 25 when they host Hong Kong, China in their Group C encounter with Ilhan Fandi returning to provide a major attacking reinforcement for the Lions.
Lion City Sailors FC defender Akram Azman has earned his maiden international callup and will aim to make his debut in their warm-up match against Nepal on Friday.
Across the Causeway, Malaysian football is also set to ring in a new era under the leadership of Peter Cklamovski when they face Nepal in their qualification round opener at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
Harimau Malaya’s new man at the helm has made two major decisions firstly giving winger Faisal Halim a national team recall with the 27-year-old having not featured since an acid attack last year but is now showing glimpses of his former self, recently netting a hat-trick in the league against Kelantan Darul Naim.
Another major surprise has been the inclusion of 38-year-old Johor Darul Ta’zim midfielder Natxo Insa, who is in line to earn just his third international cap should he feature in his home ground next week.
A trio of other ASEAN nations will also be in action with Myanmar to host Afghanistan, Timor-Leste to travel to Tajikistan and Brunei DS will make the trip to Qatar to start their campaign against Lebanon.
Photo: Timnas Indonesia
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