With the expansion to 48 teams, it was a great opportunity for some countries to reach the 2026 World Cup for the first time ever, which was the case for Jordan.
The newcomers secured a place in the tournament despite being ranked 63rd in the FIFA rankings. Their position is higher than only Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Ghana, Haiti, Curaçao, and New Zealand among the teams in the competition.
In Group J, they are far behind the other teams in terms of ranking. They must face Argentina, who are currently ranked first, while their opening match is against Austria, ranked 24th. Algeria, ranked 28th, are also above them.
The qualifiers
Jordan took full advantage of the new format implemented for this edition, which expanded the Asian Football Confederation allocation to eight direct spots, with one additional place available through the inter-confederation playoffs.
Jordan are in their first ever World Cup (Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images)
It was not an easy path for Jordan, as the qualification process for Asia included multiple rounds. Their first stage was a group of four teams in which they collected 13 points from six matches to finish ahead of Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Pakistan.
see also
Jordan 2026 World Cup preview: Squad breakdown, key player, and tactical analysis
The third round featured one of the region’s powerhouses in South Korea, who won the six-team group. However, because the first two teams qualified, Jordan were able to secure their place. In the final match, they beat Oman to finish one point ahead of Iraq.
Their calendar
The group will not be simple, even if some third-placed teams advance to the next round. Their first match is against Austria (June 16), before continuing against Algeria (June 22) and ending against Argentina (June 27).
