Jordanian football team visits Pakistan after 18 years

ISLAMABAD: The Jordanian national football team touched down in Islamabad on Tuesday, marking their return to Pakistan after an 18-year hiatus.

The football squad was received by the Jordanian ambassador, warmly upon arrival from Muscat. Alongside embassy officials, representatives from the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) were also present to greet the visiting team.

Escorted under tight security measures, the Jordanian players were safely transported from the airport to their accommodations.

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The Jordanian football team’s last trip to Pakistan was in 2006, almost two decades ago.

Football fans in the country as the country got a rare chance to host a football match. The match against Jordan is scheduled to take place on Thursday at the historic Jinnah Football Stadium in the capital.

Pakistan and Jordan will vie for victory and a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 second qualifiers round.

Earlier in January, the PFF acknowledged missing FIFA’s deadline to completing renovations at Jinnah Stadium, which raised concerns about the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Jordan. The PFF cited challenges in meeting FIFA’s standards with the current infrastructure, particularly for a match scheduled during Ramazan.

The PFF even mulled alternative options to host the match and held talks with the Jordan Football Association to arrange a neutral venue for the qualifying match.