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TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA – Indonesia’s aspiration to host the 2028 Futsal World Cup has received strong support from the national futsal team coach, Hector Souto.

According to Souto, hosting such a prestigious event would serve as a major milestone for the growth of futsal in Indonesia.

Earlier, the President of the Indonesian Futsal Association (AFI), Michaels Victor Sianipar, expressed Indonesia’s ambition to bring the Futsal World Cup to the country.

Michael made this statement during the AFI Ordinary Congress held on 12 May 2026.

In addition to discussing the organisation’s internal agenda, the congress also addressed Indonesia’s readiness to submit a bid to host the world’s biggest futsal tournament.

Michael explained that the association is still awaiting further steps from FIFA after the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) presented the proposal at the international level.

“Having successfully hosted the AFC tournament, our hope is that, whether in 2028 or as soon as possible, Indonesia will also be ready to host the Futsal World Cup,” said Michael.

Responding to this initiative, Hector Souto welcomed Indonesia’s ambition with optimism.

The Spanish coach believes that Indonesia has immense potential to develop into one of the strongest futsal nations if it succeeds in hosting the tournament.

“Regarding the 2028 World Cup, I have great hope that if Indonesia becomes the host, we can grow to become one of the strongest futsal nations in the world. We have the human resources to achieve that,” Hector stated.

According to him, hosting a tournament as large as the Futsal World Cup would bring a significant impact on the sport’s development in Indonesia, from improving the quality of play and competitive atmosphere to increasing public interest.

He also appreciated the initiative to invest in the advancement of national futsal.

Hector believes that Indonesians need both hope and opportunities to witness the highest standards of world futsal firsthand.

“If such a tournament is held here, we can directly showcase what the top level of world futsal looks like,” he added.

Hector further explained that Indonesia’s futsal development is being strengthened through competitions such as the Professional Futsal League (PFL) and participation in the Intercontinental Cup.

He even dreams that one day Indonesia could host the Intercontinental Cup itself.

Although acknowledging that realizing such goals will not be easy, Hector emphasized that these steps are crucial to broadening public understanding of international futsal standards.

“I often say that we live inside a ‘bubble’. We think we are already the best in the world, but in reality, we are not,” he remarked.

Therefore, Hector stressed that Indonesia needs to witness the highest level of futsal firsthand as a foundation to build a more competitive future.

“We must step out of that bubble and show everyone: this is the highest level of world futsal, and this is how far we still have to go. From there, we can start building for the future,” he concluded.