Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian men’s national futsal team is set to face two Spanish clubs—Palma and Noia—and Portugal’s Braga in friendly matches scheduled between August 11 and 24.Head of the Indonesian National Futsal Team Andri Paranoan explained on Wednesday that the three matches form part of the centralized training camp in Spain in preparation for the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup.“The centralized training in Spain is part of a long-term program; it is not a momentary agenda. Every step we take today is oriented toward building a stronger foundation for our journey to the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup,” he told the press in Jakarta.Under Spanish coach Hector Souto, the national team is currently undergoing intensive drills in Jakarta ahead of departure to Spain.The previous day, Souto noted that the training camp in Spain is also intended to help the team raise its level after excelling in Southeast Asian and Asian competitions.He described the training as the “initial step” for Indonesia to catch up with leading teams from Europe and South America.The coach expressed confidence that Team Garuda would gain valuable experience from competing against European futsal clubs.A total of 20 players will participate in the Spain training camp, which comes amid Indonesia’s interest in hosting the upcoming Futsal World Cup.Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir said in February 2026 that the government was keen to submit a hosting bid after successfully staging the 2026 AFC Asian Futsal Cup in Jakarta.He noted that the interest was partly driven by high praise from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the tournament, particularly the final, in which Indonesia lost to Iran in a penalty shootout after forcing the record champion into a 5-5 stalemate.“The government sees this as an opportunity. If possible, we want to submit a bid for Indonesia to host the Futsal World Cup,” said Thohir, who also chairs the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).