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AMMAN — Jordan’s squad to the 2026 World Cup returned home on Tuesday after ending Round 1, Group J matches at the 26th edition of the elite event currently underway in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Jordan impressed fans in their first World Cup, playing hard fought matches in a tough group, and scoring in their three matches by Ali Olwan, Nizar, Rashdan and Mousa Ta’mari. In their 3-1 defeat to reigning champions Argentina, Jordan was the only team to score in the first round against the 18-time qualifier and 3-time champions led by the iconic Lionel Messi. Earlier, Jordan lost 2-1 to World 28th ranked Algeria after leading 1-0 up to minute 69. They also kicked off with a 3-1 loss to World 24th ranked Austria.
After taking part in qualifiers since 1986, Jordan’s decades-long footballing dream came through, giving younger generations an inspiration and despite elimination from the first round, enthusiasts, observers and athletes noted it was a starting point rather than a winless streak. Many concurred tactical mistakes, late substitutions, not enlisting the reserve goalies and overall competitive experience were the reasons for not advancing further, coupled with the absence of key players especially Yazan Nue’imat, considered a leading striker in Asia.
Experts underlined Jordan, ranked 63rd, made history by qualifying to the world stage for the first time after 16 additional nations participated, including first timers Cape Verde, Curacao and Uzbekistan. The expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams allowed more teams from Asia and Africa to qualify to football’s most prestigious competition. Under the new format, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had eight or nine slots instead of 4.5, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is represented by nine teams instead of five.
Previously, four Arab teams participated in the 2018 edition when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco qualified. At the current edition, a record 8 Arab nations took part: 2022 semifinalists Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Jordan. Arab teams advancing to the Round of 32 were Morocco, Algeria and Egypt. Morocco eliminated the Netherlands on penalties early Tuesday to advance to the round of 16.
Since 1986, Jordan’s previous best time was the 2014 World Cup when they nearly qualified before losing to then 6th ranked Uruguay in an intercontinental qualifying tie. Round 3 was the furthest they reached in earlier editions. The Nashama have had a steady upward climb in the past two years, nearly crowned 2024 Asian Cup champs for the first time, but settling for runner-up in their fifth participation. Their previous best past performances was reaching the quarterfinals twice. The team’s best ever FIFA ranking was 37th in 2004.
For other Arab teams, most had previous significant cumulative competitive experience: Morocco, making their 8th appearance at the event, were semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first Arab or African team to reach the final four in World Cup history. They previously played in 1970, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2018, 2022.
Egypt, the first Arab nation ever to qualify for a World Cup in 1934, returned to the global stage after an eight-year absence, led by Mohamed Salah, aiming to put back the nation among football’s elite. This is their fourth time after they previously took part in 1990 and 2018.
After missing the last two editions, Algeria returned to the World Cup for the fifth time, after earlier participations in 1982, 1986, 2010, 2014 and reaching the round of 16 in 2014.
Teams eliminated were Tunisia playing their seventh World Cup, (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022, 2026) and continuing their record of regular participation since 1998; Saudi Arabia, also made their seventh appearance as well (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022, 2026) making it to the Round of 16 in 1994; Iraq who advanced after beating Bolivia in an intercontinental playoff joined for the second time after 1986; and Qatar earlier played as the 2022 hosts.
At earlier editions, Kuwait were the first Arab Asian team to take part in 1982 and the UAE played in 1990.
