Jordan regroups for upcoming World Cup qualifiers

AMMAN — Jordan’s national team regrouped on the weekend as they start the countdown to the upcoming two Round 3/Group B qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup.

The team started training in Amman ahead of the weekend and will leave to Basra a day ahead on a specially assigned Royal Jordanian flight with most pros playing abroad converging on Amman this week ahead of the next two away qualifiers against Iraq on November 14 and Kuwait on November 19.

Upcoming results will be decisive in securing early qualification from the group after Jordan lost 2-0 to South Korea, beat Oman 4-0, Palestine 3-1 and held Kuwait 1-1 to take second spot behind South Korea on goal difference for now. 

Jordan’s coach Jamal Sellami made minor changes to the lineup hoping star striker Mousa Ta’mari will make a solid return after missing the last two matches due to an ankle injury.

Similarly, officials and fans hope Yazan Nu’eimat will be in top form after recent rib and wrist injuries. The lineup will miss Noor Rawabdeh  who is out with an injury he sustained during his club’s Malaysian league match as well as Aref Haj who has an ankle injury similar to Ta’mari which he sustained during his Hussein’s match against Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi during this week’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Champions League Two match.

Currently, 18 Asian nations are playing in three groups in home and away format until June 10, 2025 with the top two from each group advancing directly to the World Cup while the rest will play Round 4 in two groups with group leaders advancing and a possible ninth team advancing through intercontinental play-offs