International sports analyst offers thoughts on China and Indonesia ahead of World Cup Asian Qualifying

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers resume Thursday as China faces Indonesia in a crucial away match at Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

According to tournament rules, the top two in each six-team group advance directly to the World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams enter the playoffs. With two matches remaining, Indonesia sits fourth in Group C with nine points, while China is level with Bahrain at the bottom on six points.

Indonesia holds a three-point lead over China and a seven-goal edge in goal difference. A home win would all but guarantee Indonesia a top-four finish. For China, there is only one way to keep their World Cup hopes alive: win on Indonesian soil.

International sports analyst Jaap de Groot has offered his thoughts on this critical contest, and says Indonesia have grown since their loss in Qingdao last year.

"Currently, Indonesia sits 123rd in the rankings while China is 94th," de Groot noted. "On paper, China should win - they proved that last year with a 2-1 victory on home soil."

However, the analyst was quick to point out Indonesia's recent progress. "This is a team that's clearly growing. Against Australia, they dominated the first 30 minutes and really should have taken the lead. That missed penalty proved costly - it mentally broke them and Australia capitalized with a decisive counterattack."

Despite these concerns, the analyst believes China remains dangerous. "They have plenty of quality at this level. Fans should expect a real battle - this won't be a walkover for either side."