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AMMAN — It’s Jordan vs Iraq and Syria vs Iran as Amman hosts postponed Window 2 and Window 3 matches of Asian Group C qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.
Window 2 was discontinued in Beirut with heightened security concerns amid Israel’s bombing of several areas in the Lebanese capital in March.
Jordan tops the group after they beat Syria twice 100-48 and 74-59 in Window 1, Group C opening qualifiers. As Window 2 tipped off, Jordan beat Iran 73-60 to keep their lead atop the table as Syria beat Iraq 78-70. In other matches, Iran beat Iraq 86-71 and 94-68.
The national squad was idle since then as the Jordan basketball Federation faced a series of resignations and admin issues, and the team regrouped very late to start their preparations. Former Coach Wisam Sous has been recalled to oversee the team in the upcoming three matches as Jordan plays Window 3 matches against Iran on July 2 and Iraq on July 5.
The Jordanian squad again has Jalen Harris combining with top scorers Ahmad Duweiri and Freddie Ibrahim with younger players recalled to join aiming to qualify to the World Cup for the third consecutive and fourth overall time after first qualifying in 2010. The team, now 41stth in FIBA rankings and 8th in Asia, still lacks a solid bench and continues to be carried by veteran Duweiri combining with new naturalized player Harris who led the team with an impressive record 42 points in FIBA records of the World Cup qualifiers.
A total of 80 national squads from the four FIBA regions are playing FIBA World Cup qualifiers in six windows from November 2025 to March 2027 following which 5 teams from Africa, 7 from the Americas, 7 from Asia, and 12 from Europe will advance to the 2027 World Cup in Doha, Qatar which is a direct qualifier for 7 national teams to the 2028 Olympic Games.
The top three teams from each group contesting the qualifiers will advance to the next round where the 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six from which the group leaders will advance to the World Cup alongside the fourth best team.
Group A: Australia, New Zealand, Philippines have advanced with Guam out;
Group B: Japan, South Korea and China have advanced with Chinese Taipei out;
Group D: Lebanon, Qatar Saudi Arabia have advanced with India out.
At the 31st FIBA Asia Cup 2025, Jordan’s squad failed to keep up the nation’s impressive record at the competition with key absences becoming an obstacle in their quest to reach the quarterfinals. Jordan ended up 11th among 16 competing nations after previously, reaching the medals podium twice finishing runner-up in 2011, 3rd in 2009, 4th in 2022.
In 2023, Jordan was Asian Games silver medalist, the best Asian result for a team sport after qualifying to the FIBA World Cup in 2010, 2019 and 2023. So far, the squad has played at the FIBA Asia Cup 17th times, with their best position runner-up in 2011.
