The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has officially terminated the contract of national team head coach Patrick Kluivert following the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.1 The decision was announced by the PSSI on Thursday, October 16, 2025.2
Kluivert, a legendary former Dutch striker, was appointed to the role in January, signing a two-year contract.3 His primary mission was to guide Indonesia to its first World Cup appearance since 1938, when the nation competed as the Dutch East Indies.4
Despite a significant push to naturalize players of Indonesian descent from Europe, particularly from the Netherlands, the team’s performance did not meet the federation’s expectations.5 Indonesia’s World Cup dream came to an end in the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers after they suffered consecutive defeats to Saudi Arabia (3-2) and Iraq (1-0).6 These losses left Indonesia at the bottom of their group and eliminated from the competition.7
The PSSI stated that the termination was a “mutual agreement” and was made as part of a “comprehensive evaluation of the national football coaching and development program.”8 Kluivert’s short tenure, which lasted just nine months, saw the team win three, draw one, and lose four of their eight matches.
In a social media post, Kluivert expressed his disappointment but also pride in what he and the team had built together. The PSSI has not yet named a successor, but they have stated that they will soon announce a new coaching direction as they set new targets for the national team, including qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup and the 2030 World Cup.9
