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Teams zoom in on CFI Basketball League title

Teams get into high gear as the semifinals playoffs tip off (photo courtesy of JBF)
Teams get into high gear as the semifinals playoffs tip off (photo courtesy of JBF)
By Aline Bannayan | 16:57 April 1, 2026 |
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AMMAN — The CFI Basketball League starts the semifinal playoffs Thursday with teams contesting the best-of-three playoffs to advance to the final.

Holders Amman United face Jubeiha and Inglizia BC play Faisali in the week-long playoffs ahead of the best-of-five finals.

In the preliminary Round 1, Amman United, Faisali, Jubeiha and Wihdat were the top four. However, during the past week, the knockout playoffs saw Inglizia upset Wihdat in the most closely contested matchup, with the former upsetting the team with a big fan base 89-88 in Game 3 to advance. In other matches, Amman United ousted Shabab Bushra, Jubeiha overcame Jalil and Faisali advanced over Ashrafieh.

Amman United who won the 2024/25 League in their inaugural season are seeking to retain their title as two new athletic powerhouses have entered the competition. Former champs Wihdat are back the to the fold after being suspended by the JBF in 2022 over regulations and age-division requirements, after they won they first won the title in 2019, and again in 2021/22. They are joined by Faisali were impressive in their unbeaten run and beat Wihdat to take home the Jordan Cup in their first season.

Three teams from Irbid - Ashrafieh, Jalil and Shabab Bushra were the newcomers to the League, while two former champs missed the competition this season over disagreements with the JBF: veterans and 2022 champs Ahli and Orthodoxi who last won their 23rd title was in 2014-15 and were runner-up in 2022/2023 and Jordan Cup champs in 2022.

The Basketball League which started in 1952 has had eight teams crowned champion. It was not played in four seasons and discontinued once. Ahli have won 25 times, Orthodoxi 23, Zain (Fastlink) 6, ASU 4, Wihdat, Riyadi and Jazira-Aramex twice, while Amman Untied, Urdun, Watany and the Electricity Co. won once each. Teams like former League and Cup champs Applied Science University (ASU), Ittihad, and Zain have pulled out of the competition.

The League stopped during Round 1 to allow the national team’s Window 2 Asian Group C qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup. Jordan got off to a good start beating Iran 73-60 while Syria beat Iraq 78-70. However, the Jordan-Iraq match was postponed with heightened security concerns amid Israel’s bombing of several areas in the Lebanese capital hosting Window 2 matches.

Jordan was 2023 Asian Games silver medalist and a three-time qualifier to the World Cup, 2010, 2019 and 2023. The squad also played at the FIBA Asia Cup 17th times, with their best position runner-up in 2011.

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