The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it had received information about concerns from the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) regarding the security and safety of the team in the second leg of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Indonesia. The match is scheduled to take place in March 2025.
"We respect these concerns and are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all players, officials and fans, and condemn all forms of online abuse and intimidation ," the AFC added.
The unit will further discuss the match with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), BFA and the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) to create a safe and secure environment for all parties involved in the match.
Bahrain (red) wants to play on neutral ground.
The match between Bahrain and Indonesia caused endless controversy for many days after that. The team from the archipelago was leading 2-1 until the end of the official match time, the referee team announced that there would be 6 minutes of added time in the second half. But in the end, the time of the ball rolling lasted until the 9th minute, Bahrain scored the equalizer after a corner kick.
Indonesian players and coaches surrounded referee Ahmed Al Kaf. The referee was only able to leave the field after being protected by the host country's security forces. After the match, the head of the Indonesian Football Federation confirmed that he had filed a complaint with FIFA. Afterwards, Indonesian fans attacked the referee and Bahraini players online.
On the morning of October 17, BFA filed a complaint with the AFC to denounce the insulting behavior of Indonesian fans towards their team. BFA requested the AFC to change the venue of the second leg of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers between Bahrain and Indonesia, following threats directed at team members. The country is willing to play at a neutral venue.
It is understandable that the AFC wants to find a safe way to hold the match in Indonesia. If the host cannot ensure strict security conditions, the option of playing at a neutral venue will be considered.
Bahrain’s concerns about the safety of the match are not unfounded. The home fans are notoriously unruly. Bahrain themselves benefited from a controversial refereeing decision in the first leg. There is no guarantee that they will be safe if they beat Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tuyen-bahrain-lo-da-o-indonesia-khong-an-toan-afc-phan-ung-the-nao-ar902550.html
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