Saudi Arabia host Indonesia in the opening round of fixtures of the third round of AFC 2026 World Cup qualifying on Thursday.
After appearing at the last two iterations of international football's showpiece event, Saudi Arabia will be expecting to do so again, given the competition's expansion.
Match preview
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Italy's Euro 2020-winning manager Roberto Mancini is now under much scrutiny to improve Saudi Arabia's results after an underwhelming start following jumping ship from the Azzurri last year.
AFC's qualifying section has been expanded along with the World Cup itself, and avoiding the fourth round and the playoffs is to be expected of the continent's top nations.
The top two in each group will pass directly through to the fifth round, but the Saudis face tough opposition in the form of Japan and Australia in their group.
After losing in the last 16 of the Asian Cup and finishing second behind Jordan in the previous round's group phase, the Green Falcons' ranking has taken a hit, as a defeat at home to the Jordanians and a draw in Tajikistan was costly.
Winning none of his first four games in charge was hardly an ideal start, but all will be forgotten if Mancini can lead the country to North America in two years' time.
Three points is an absolute certainty here against the rank outsiders in the section, Indonesia, who are the only nation to make it this far having started in the first qualifying round.
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After beating minnows Brunei 12-0 on aggregate at that stage, Indonesia got the better of Vietnam and the Philippines to make it this far, finishing second behind Iraq in the previous round.
The side ranked 133rd in the world have only reached the World Cup once, 86 years ago when they competed as the Dutch East Indies, and they will be looking to stun Bahrain and China to claim fourth place in this group which would see them advance.
A 3-0 success in Vietnam was critical, and Team Garuda sealed their progression with a 2-0 victory over the Philippines in the last international break.
Against tougher opposition though, Indonesia will be tested to their limits, and a 4-0 defeat to Australia in the round of 16 of the Asian Cup in January shows the gulf in class.
The expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams gives nations like Indonesia the chance to dream, but this will be a huge ask for them, and bottom place in this section is the most probable outcome.
Team News
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The Saudi squad is largely unchanged from June's international window, as Mohammed Al-Breik and Sami Al Najei are the only notable absentees this time around.
Yasser Al-Shahrani remains out of the fold having not played since shortly after the Asian Cup, and his replacement Saud Abdulhamid is the only non-domestic player in the squad after joining Roma last week.
Salem Al Dawsari is the most experienced, and arguably talented, player with the group, as he edges closer to 100 caps at the age of 33.
After competing as the Dutch East Indies in their only World Cup finals appearance, Indonesia are using that Dutch diaspora to their advantage by strengthening the squad with players based in and around the Netherlands.
Maarten Paes has been called up for the first time and could start after the Dutch-born FC Dallas goalkeeper received full citizenship in May.
Three of the squad play in Holland, while a further three do so in neighbouring Belgium, and Swansea City's Nathan Tjoe-a-On was also born in the Netherlands.
There are some issues in defence as former Swansea man Jordi Amat is suspended, and Blackpool's Elkan Baggott will miss out with injury, but Jay Idzes should start after becoming the first Indonesian to play in Serie A last week, turning out for newly-promoted Venezia.
Saudi Arabia possible starting lineup:
Al Owais; Hamidou, Lajami, Al Bulayhi; Abdulhamid, Al Khaibari, Kanno, Al Juwayr, N Al Dawsari; S Al Dawsari, Al Brikan
Indonesia possible starting lineup:
Paes; Ridho, Idzes, Hubner; Mangkualam, Ferdinan, Haye, Tjoe-a-On, Verdonk; Struick, Oratmangoen
We say: Saudi Arabia 4-0 Indonesia
Saudi Arabia are heavy favourites to come out on top against the lowest-ranked nation left in qualifying, and manager Mancini needs to start with three points.
Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines are the only sides Indonesia have beaten across the last 12 months, as Shin Tae-yong's side have won just four of their last 14 outings, and they could be seriously outclassed in this section
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
