Timnas

Timnas is a term used in Indonesian and Malay to refer to a country’s national sports teams. It is short for Tim Nasional (national team) and is widely used by media, fans, and commentators to distinguish national squads from club teams. Although applicable to any sport, Timnas is most commonly associated with football (soccer) in everyday language.

In practice, the designation covers different levels and age groups. The senior men’s football team is often referred to as Timnas Indonesia when discussing the Indonesia national team. There are also youth and women’s teams that use the Timnas label, such as Timnas Indonesia U-23 for Olympic and regional qualifiers, and Timnas Indonesia women for the national women’s team. Across countries, the format of Timnas can be paired with the country name or the sport to identify the specific national squad.

The teams are governed by their respective national federations. In Indonesia, for example, the football national teams are organized under the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI). National teams compete in international and regional competitions sanctioned by bodies such as FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and regional bodies like the AFF.

Timnas serves as a concise, recognizable shorthand that reflects national representation in sport. Its use is prevalent in sports journalism and fan discourse, where it helps distinguish national teams from club-level teams and facilitates quick references across languages.