The Australia–Indonesia football rivalry refers to the association football rivalry between the men's national football teams of Australia and Indonesia. The matchup represents a notable cross-confederation geopolitical fixture within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) landscape. The rivalry between the two national teams is also marked by the sometimes tense relations between the two countries' governments and pride in their national identities.
History The footballing relationship between Australia and Indonesia dates back to the mid-20th century. The first official senior international encounter occurred in November 1967, when Australia defeated Indonesia 2–0 in an international friendly fixture held in Jakarta. For several decades, the two nations competed primarily within different geographic regions, with Australia operating under the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and Indonesia under the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) subsystem of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
A defining historical moment for Indonesia occurred on 30 August 1981 during the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Playing in Jakarta, Indonesia achieved a historic 1–0 victory over Australia courtesy of a lone goal from striker Risdianto, registering what remains their only senior international victory against Australia.
Following Australia's formal transition into the AFC in 2006, competitive encounters grew in significance. The rivalry intensified in the 2020s as both teams frequently met in high-stakes continental matches. In the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Round of 16, Australia recorded a resounding 4–0 victory over a developing Indonesian squad. Later, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-round qualifiers, the two nations faced each other home-and-away. Indonesia managed to hold Australia to a historic 0–0 draw at a packed Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in September 2024, showcasing their tactical evolution, before Australia reclaimed dominance with a 5–1 win in Sydney in March 2025.
Statistics
TournamentMatchesWinsDrawsGoals Australia Indonesia Australia IndonesiaFIFA World Cup qualification 6 4 1 1 13 3AFC Asian Cup 1 1 0 0 4 0AFC Asian Cup qualification 2 1 0 1 1 0Other tournaments/international friendly 12 10 0 2 24 5 Total 21 16 1 4 42 8
Results
Competition Date Home team Score Away team Venue Location Ref.International friendly 17 November 1967 0–2 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 11v11 20 November 1967 1–3 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 7 October 1972 1–4 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia1974 FIFA World Cup qualification 13 March 1973 2–1 Sydney Sports Ground Sydney, Australia 24 March 1973 6–0 Sydney Sports Ground Sydney, AustraliaInternational friendly 21 May 1974 1–2 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 20 October 1976 1–1 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 7 December 1980 1–1 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia1982 FIFA World Cup qualification 20 May 1981 2–0 Olympic Park Stadium Melbourne, Australia 30 August 1981 1–0 Gelora 10 November Stadium Surabaya, Indonesia 1982 Merlion Cup 11 October 1982 0–2 National Stadium Kallang, Singapore 1984 Merlion Cup 14 October 1984 2–1 National Stadium Kallang, Singapore 1988 Jakarta Anniversary Tournament 13 August 1988 0–1 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 1990 Indonesia Independence Cup 25 August 1990 0–3 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 1992 Indonesia Independence Cup 14 August 1992 0–3 Senayan Main Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia International friendly 29 March 2005 3–0 Subiaco Oval Perth, Australia2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification 28 January 2009 0–0 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 3 March 2010 1–0 Suncorp Stadium Brisbane, Australia 2023 AFC Asian Cup 28 January 2024 4–0 Jassim bin Hamad Stadium Al Rayyan, Qatar2026 FIFA World Cup qualification 10 September 2024 0–0 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Jakarta, Indonesia 20 March 2025 5–1 Allianz Stadium Sydney, Australia
See also Australia–Indonesia relations Australia men's national soccer team all-time record Indonesia national football team records and statistics
References