Teams head into Week 2 with CFI upping prize money

AMMAN – Teams head into week 2 of the Professional Football League on Thursday with a week to go before they stop for the national team’s upcoming preparations for  Round 3 of World Cup qualifiers. 

This week, is Shabab Urdun vs Jazira, Ma’an vs Ahli, Salt vs Faisali, Ramtha vs Hussein, Sarih vs Aqaba and Wihdat vs Mughayer Al Sarhan.

Wihdat head the table after last week’s matches which saw them beat newcomers Sarih 4-1, holders Hussein beat Jazira 2-0 as Salt upset Shabab Urdun 2-1, Ahli beat Mughayer Al-Sarhan 3-1, Ramtha beat Aqaba 2-0, and Ma’an held Faisali 0-0.

Following the past few seasons during which clubs were reeling under financial burdens, with no sponsor and limited prize money, the Jordan Football Association announced CFI would be the league sponsor for three years, henceforth to be known as CFI Pro League for the next three seasons.

The Pro league champ prize was upped from JD60,000 to JD100,000, the runner up JD50,000 and third place JD 15,000.

As player transfers and salaries for professional players are  still difficult to cover, many stars are turning to Gulf and Asian clubs for the next season, making it more difficult for the national team’s regrouping.

Clubs struggling with lack of sponsors and inadequate prize money include veterans Jazira , who are back to the Pro League this season.

A three-time league champion, they  were relegated in 2022 after the club was a frontrunner in the past few years and played in the AFC West Asia Zone final in 2018 and 2019. 

The 2023/2024 football season saw Hussein become the 9th club to win the League since it kicked off in 1944 with only Faisali, Ahli, Urdun and Homenetmen clubs competing.

Faisali are 35-time record league champs while Wihdat won 17 times since first joining in 1980.

Ahli won eight times, Ramtha and Jazira three times, ShababUrdun twice, Hussein, Amman and Urdun clubs once.