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Indonesia national team coach John Herdman has already drawn up a concrete plan to guide the Garuda squad towards qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Herdman, known for his meticulous approach and academic background as a former lecturer, has been methodical in developing his vision. His approach to building relationships with players has also progressed smoothly, earning positive responses from the national squad.

One of his key missions is to take the Garuda team to the World Cup stage, a dream that Indonesia came close to achieving during the qualification rounds for the 2026 edition. For Herdman and Indonesian football fans, this is a shared ambition — to see Indonesia compete on the global stage.

Herdman explained that the first step towards this long-term goal is to excel in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. He believes performing well in the continental competition will serve as a vital foundation before stepping into the World Cup qualification phase.

“Our main objective is to be the best in the AFC (Asian Cup 2027) in areas where Indonesia can have a competitive edge,” Herdman stated. “We have a unique capability to be the best tactically in the AFC. Preparing for the AFC is our immediate target,” he added, as quoted from the official YouTube channel of the Indonesia national team.

The former Canada national team coach further emphasised that the 2030 FIFA World Cup is the ultimate target for Indonesia. He intends for the team to be in a strong position heading into the qualification rounds, acknowledging that the competition will be intense. This, he said, requires early and thorough preparation, which he considers a collective commitment.

“We have the 2030 World Cup as our big picture, and as I’ve said to anyone who will listen, we have three main objectives,” Herdman explained. “The first is to create a high-performance system that will support World Cup qualification.”

Herdman has also conducted his own research on countries that have successfully qualified for the World Cup. According to him, these nations typically have players of high quality, often competing in top leagues around the world. For Indonesia, he sees an opportunity to strengthen the squad by integrating players of Indonesian descent who have international experience.

At the same time, Herdman recognised the continuous improvement of local players, which he sees as an encouraging sign for the Garuda team. “That means continuously improving the skill level of every department within our team structure, equipping them with skills, tools, knowledge, and experience. The second goal is to recruit more level one and level two players,” he continued.

“Level one players are those competing in the top five leagues in the world, while level two players are those playing outside those leagues. This can be achieved either by accelerating the development of our local players in Indonesia and using the national team as a platform to reach top leagues, or by recruiting diaspora players who can represent our country,” Herdman concluded.