JAKARTA – The Chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Erick Thohir, provided an update on two potential naturalized players for the Indonesian national team. He stated that the correspondence process between PSSI and the two players will be completed this week before the official stage.
As is known, PSSI plans to bring in two new players to strengthen the Indonesian national team’s attack for the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Asian Zone Qualifiers, which will take place this October.
1. Good News
Regarding the latest news on the two prospective players, Erick stated that there is some clarity. The PSSI will finalize the correspondence process with the two players. This is important because parental consent is required as a requirement for representing the Indonesian national team.
“We’ll likely receive correspondence between us and the players this week,” said Erick, as quoted by the Bola Bung Binder YouTube channel on Wednesday (August 6, 2025).
“There needs to be clearance from the parents and the players that they’re here for the Red and White,” he continued.
Following this process, the players will undergo the naturalization process, which begins with interviews with government officials. The PSSI will then submit the two players’ files to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which will then forward them to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. The files will then seek President Prabowo Subianto’s approval and be discussed in a working and plenary session of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI).
“From there, the government will interview them. Since they already have the letter, the interview will begin,” said Erick.
“We just sent a letter to the Minister of Youth and Sports, the Minister of Youth and Sports to the Minister of Law and Human Rights, the Minister of Law and Human Rights to the President, and the President sent it to the House of Representatives,” he added.
2. Discussing Mauro Zijlstra’s Naturalization Process
Erick also touched on Mauro Zijlstra’s naturalization process. The man, who also serves as Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, stated that the documents have been sent to the House of Representatives (DPR). However, the House is currently in recess.
“As Mauro said yesterday, the President has already sent it to the DPR. However, because the DPR is in recess, we will propose it together with the addition of two other players,” he concluded.
