Indonesia Hires Former Canada Coach John Herdman to Lead National Team

Indonesia Changes National Team Coach

Indonesia has hired former Canada coach John Herdman to lead its men's national team after failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 50-year-old Englishman replaces Patrick Kluivert, who resigned from his position in October.

The Indonesian Football Federation announced on Saturday that Herdman is "not just a coach, but an architect of football with a solid track record of bringing teams to the World Cup." Herdman previously guided Canada to the 2022 World Cup and had managed the women's team during the 2015 World Cup.

Indonesia, which gained its independence in 1945, has not qualified for the World Cup since 1938 when it was known as the Dutch East Indies. Herdman received a written reprimand following a hearing by the Canadian football's disciplinary committee, which stemmed from a drone spying scandal at the Paris Olympics. Local media reported that he signed a two-year contract, with an option to extend for another two years.

Herdman left his position as head coach of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2024. His first mission will be to prepare Indonesia for the 2027 Asia Cup, set to take place in Saudi Arabia.