Holiday Ayo - 

The Indonesian National Team is poised to be reinforced by six newly naturalized players ahead of their crucial match against Australia in the AFC World Cup 2026 Qualifiers on March 20, 2025.

According to Suara.com on Wednesday (March 6, 2025), three heritage players—Emil Audero, Joey Pelupessy, and Dean James—have received naturalization approval from the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI). They are now scheduled to take their oath of citizenship in the coming days.

Minister of Law and Human Rights, Supratman Andi Agtas, stated that the government will send representatives to the Indonesian Embassy in Rome, Italy, to expedite the naturalization process for these players. This initiative aims to ensure their swift inclusion in the national team ahead of the crucial match against Australia.

"The Ministry of Law is working to accelerate this process so that these three players can immediately strengthen the Garuda squad in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The nation needs them to be officially listed as Indonesian nationals as soon as possible, which is why we are expediting the oath-taking process," Supratman Andi Agtas affirmed.

As per FIFA’s official website (fifa.com), the deadline for player registration for the March 2025 World Cup Qualifiers is March 13, 2025. Consequently, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) is making every effort to complete the administrative procedures for these players before the cutoff date, ensuring their availability for the Australia match.

If all processes go according to plan, Indonesia will field six naturalized players against Australia. In addition to Emil Audero, Dean James, and Joey Pelupessy, three others—Ole Romeny, Dion Markx, and Tim Geypens—had already completed their naturalization in February 2025.

The arrival of these six heritage players is expected to significantly bolster the Garuda squad’s strength and depth. According to data from the Asian Football Confederation (the-afc.com), Indonesia currently sits third in Group C standings with six points. The reinforcement from these naturalized players is anticipated to enhance the team’s chances of securing a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.