FIFA Sanctions PSSI: Fines & Bans for Naturalized Players

In a significant development for Indonesian football, FIFA has levied substantial sanctions against the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and two key diaspora players of the Indonesian National Team. These penalties stem from regrettable incidents that unfolded during the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee, in its recent release detailing sanctions for countries participating in official agendas from October 8-14, 2025, included Indonesia among the penalized nations. PSSI faces a hefty fine of 50,000 Swiss francs, equivalent to approximately 1.03 billion Indonesian Rupiah, for violating Articles 17 and 17.b. The federation’s breach relates to “Match order and security” as well as “Throwing of objects,” explicitly stated by FIFA in its announcement on Thursday, November 6, 2025.

This particular infraction occurred during the intense match between Indonesia and Iraq, where discontent among the ‘Garuda’ squad’s supporters boiled over regarding the referee’s decisions. Fans present at the stadium collectively resorted to throwing bottles onto the field while the game was still in progress. The severity of the situation was highlighted when Jay Idzes, then captain of the Garuda squad, was seen personally collecting the scattered bottles from the pitch.

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Adding to the woes, two naturalized players vital to the Indonesian National Team, Shayne Pattynama and Thom Haye, have also been handed severe penalties. Both players face a substantial fine of 5,000 Swiss francs each, translating to around 103 million Indonesian Rupiah per player, alongside a four-match suspension from future games. Their sanctions fall under violations of Articles 14 and 14.i.j, cited by FIFA for “Misconduct of players and officials” and “Unsporting behavior towards match officials.”

The incident prompting these player sanctions reportedly involved Haye and Shayne protesting vehemently to the referee during the very same match against Iraq. This heated exchange escalated to the point where Sumardji intervened in an attempt to dispute the decision made by Chinese referee Ma Ning, ultimately leading to Sumardji being shown a red card.

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Despite the stern penalties, FIFA maintains that there is a window for appeal, subject to specific terms and conditions. The global football governing body emphasizes that its “judicial bodies make decisions based on the specific circumstances of each case.” While some decisions are indeed appealable and documents are provided for media information, FIFA clarifies that “only decisions officially communicated to the relevant parties will be considered legally valid documents.”

The absence of key players Haye and Shayne for four crucial matches is undoubtedly a setback for the Indonesian National Team. Further complicating the immediate schedule, the ‘Garuda’ squad will not participate in the November 2025 FIFA Matchday, as this period has been allocated to the U-22 national team. The exact timing of the senior team’s next fixture remains uncertain, as does the identity of the new head coach.

PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir recently confirmed that five candidates for the national team’s head coach position have been identified, though their names are currently being kept confidential, adding to the anticipation surrounding the team’s future direction.