Amman, June 13 (Petra) -- Jordan’s national football team is set to make its historic first appearance at the FIFA World Cup when it faces Austria next Wednesday in its opening Group J match at the 2026 tournament being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Nashama completed their preparations for the 23rd edition of the World Cup through training camps in Switzerland and the United States, where they played two friendly matches against Switzerland and Colombia. The camps provided valuable technical and tactical experience ahead of the tournament.

Upon arriving in Portland, Oregon, on Friday, the Jordanian squad immediately launched its official training camp, beginning technical and fitness sessions in preparation for the opening encounter against Austria in world football’s premier event.

Sports figures speaking to Petra expressed confidence in Jordan’s ability to achieve positive results despite the difficulty of the challenge, with the team drawn alongside defending world champions Argentina, two-time African champions Algeria and an increasingly competitive Austrian side.

President of the Jordan Sports Information Federation Amjad Al-Majali said Jordan’s historic World Cup participation, in what is regarded as the world’s most prominent sporting event and one that attracts extensive international media attention, should serve as a strong motivation for the players to present a positive image of Jordan and its youth.

He highlighted the support of His Majesty King Abdullah II, describing him as the national team’s foremost supporter and advocate, in addition to the backing of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, who has regularly attended the team’s matches and training sessions.

Al-Majali added that the World Cup offers Jordanian players a golden opportunity to showcase their abilities on the global stage and potentially attract interest from European clubs, noting that the tournament is closely monitored by scouts from leading teams.

He also pointed out that Jordanian sports media outlets have dedicated extensive coverage to the national team’s World Cup campaign through talk shows, analysis programs and special reports highlighting the significance of the country’s first-ever participation.

National coach Osama Qasem acknowledged the difficulty of facing Austria, Algeria and Argentina given their technical quality but stressed that Jordan’s players possess the determination and spirit needed to compete successfully.

He said the opening match against Austria would be particularly challenging, noting that the Austrian team topped its European qualifying group. However, he expressed confidence in head coach Jamal Sellami’s ability to manage the challenge through a disciplined defensive structure and quick transitions led by Ali Olwan, Odeh Al-Fakhouri and Musa Al-Taamari.

Qasem suggested that Jordan is likely to field a lineup similar to the one used against Colombia, while leaving room for adjustments in attack. He noted that the national team has often delivered stronger performances in competitive tournaments than in friendly matches.

He added that Sellami’s tactical approach does not rely on a traditional target striker but rather on rapid attacking transitions. Qasem described the loss of striker Ibrahim Sabra through injury as a significant setback, particularly given the absence of Yazan Al-Naimat from the tournament due to injury.

Former Jordan international Baraa Mar’i, who represented the national team at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, also described the World Cup task as difficult but emphasized that the squad contains players capable of making a difference and producing positive performances.

He said that beyond results, the priority is to compete strongly, represent Jordan with distinction and enhance the visibility of Jordanian footballers on the international stage.

Mar’i attributed Jordan’s runner-up finish at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup to the strong team spirit and family-like atmosphere within the squad, describing his own Asian Cup experience as memorable. He expressed hope of representing Jordan again at the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, having previously participated in the 2019 and 2023 editions.

//Petra// AF

13/06/2026 20:33:07