+62 News, Sports | Jakarta | September 7, 2026
Photo: Indonesian athletes gearing up for major tournaments in 2026
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1. INDONESIA EYES 2026 ASIAN GAMES WITH 432 ATHLETES
Indonesia is set to compete in the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
This marks the nation’s 20th appearance since the inaugural Games in 1951.
Squad Size: 432 athletes across 35 sports
Key Sports:
– Badminton: 20 athletes – 10 men, 10 women
– Volleyball: 28 athletes
– Cycling: 21 athletes
– Wushu: 13 athletes
Chef de Mission: Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry, Todotua Pasaribu.
2. BADMINTON: REGENERATION & HOME TOURNAMENTS
Indonesia remains the epicenter of world badminton in 2026.
Recent Results:
– Indonesia Masters: H.S. Prannoy knocked out in R16 by China’s Zhu Xuan-chen 22-20, 21-15. India’s Ashmita Chaliha reached quarter-finals.
– BNI Support: Bank BNI continues backing regeneration. Young talent Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah “Ubed” advanced to R2 of Thailand Open 2026 and won SEA Games 2025 silver.
– Senior Hopes: Jonatan Christie and Putri Kusuma Wardani lead men’s and women’s singles.
Upcoming Home Events 2026:
– Sept 1-6: Indonesia Super 100 I
– Oct 5-10: BWF World Junior Championships Team Event
– Oct 12-18: BWF World Junior Championships Individual
– Oct 20-25: Indonesia Super 100 II
– Nov 17-22: Indonesia International Challenge II
PBSI and BNI say regeneration is key to maintaining Indonesia’s badminton legacy.
3. FOOTBALL: U-23 TEAM IN AFC QUALIFIERS
Indonesia’s U-23 team is in action for 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification in Sidoarjo:
– Sept 3: Indonesia 0-0 Laos
– Sept 6: Indonesia 5-0 Macau. Goals from Arkhan, Rayhan, Zanadin, Struick + 1 OG
– Sept 9: Indonesia 0-1 South Korea
The team previously finished runner-up at the 2025 ASEAN U-23 Championship after losing 1-0 to Vietnam in the final.
4. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
– Beach Volleyball: Pair Bintang Akbar/Sofyan Rachman unbeaten in 2 Group E matches at AVC Beach Continental 2026 in China. Their campaign is part of Indonesia’s bid for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification.
– Tennis: Indonesian Janice Tjen competed at US Open, lost 6-2 6-2 to Mirra Andreeva in R1.
BADMINTON STILL KING
Badminton remains Indonesia’s most successful sport, with Olympic golds in every Games since 1992 except 2012 and 2024. The sport is “not merely a sport but a cornerstone of national identity”.
TAGS: #IndonesiaSports #AsianGames2026 #Badminton #Football #U23 #62News
