Jordan are at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history.
72 years of trying. Finally done.
The defining night came on June 5, 2025, in Muscat, Oman.
Ali Olwan scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win away to Oman, and when South Korea’s simultaneous 2-0 win over Iraq confirmed the standings, Jordan’s players fell to their knees on the pitch in celebration.
They had done it.
Under Moroccan coach Jamal Sellami, who played as a midfielder for Raja Casablanca and represented Morocco at the 1998 World Cup, Jordan finished the Asian qualifying campaign with eight wins, five draws, and three defeats, scoring 32 goals and conceding 12.
They reached the 2023 AFC Asian Cup final, beating South Korea 2-0 in the semi-final before losing to hosts Qatar in the final.
The momentum has been building for years. Now they are here.
Jordan are in Group J alongside Austria, Chile, and Saudi Arabia, opening on June 17 in Santa Clara, California.
Here are the 10 best soccer players from Jordan at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Musa Al-Taamari — Forward
Position: Winger/Forward
Age: 29 | Club: Rennes (France)
Musa Al-Taamari is the best player Jordan have ever produced.
Known as “Jordan’s Messi,” he is quick, skilful, direct, and the only Jordanian competing in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
At Rennes in Ligue 1, he scored 7 goals and provided 11 assists in 36 appearances in 2025/26, one of the best attacking seasons of his career.
With 92 caps and 24 international goals, he carries the attack and sets the tempo of everything Jordan do going forward.
2. Ali Olwan — Forward
Position: Striker
Age: 26 | Club: Al-Sailiya (Qatar)
Ali Olwan is Jordan’s most prolific active striker and the man who scored the hat-trick that sent them to the World Cup.
With 29 goals in 66 caps, he is one of the most clinical finishers in Asian football.
He scored nine goals in the entire World Cup qualifying campaign — the third-highest tally of any Asian player — including three in the famous 3-0 win in Muscat that sealed Jordan’s place.
He is strong, direct, and lethal inside the box.
He is one of the best young strikers in Asian football and the man who will carry Jordan’s goalscoring burden in Group J.
3. Ihsan Haddad — Defender (Captain)
Position: Centre-Back/Defender
Age: 32 | Club: Al-Hussein (Jordan)
Ihsan Haddad is Jordan’s captain and their defensive leader with 92 caps, making him one of the most experienced players in the squad.
He was central to Sellami’s system throughout the qualifying campaign, organising the back three that gave Jordan a solid defensive foundation throughout their run.
At 32, he brings the calm, commanding authority that a team making their World Cup debut desperately needs in the back line.
He is one of the most dependable defenders Jordan have ever produced.
4. Yazan Al-Arab — Defender
Position: Defender/Centre-Back
Age: 30 | Club: FC Seoul (South Korea)
Yazan Al-Arab is one of Jordan’s most experienced and versatile defenders with 80 caps and 3 international goals.
He plays his club football in the Korean K-League for FC Seoul and is a key part of Sellami’s back three alongside Haddad.
His reading of the game, aerial ability, and experience in Asian football make him one of the cornerstones of Jordan’s defensive structure.
He will be tasked with handling some of the best forwards in Group J across three crucial matches.
5. Yazeed Abulaila — Goalkeeper
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 33 | Club: Al-Hussein (Jordan)
Yazeed Abulaila is Jordan’s undisputed number one with 76 caps and the most experienced goalkeeper the country has ever had.
He has been between the sticks for the majority of Jordan’s most important results over the past decade and brings composure, shot-stopping ability, and the organisational quality that a first-ever World Cup appearance demands.
He is one of the most experienced goalkeepers at this tournament from the Asian confederation.
6. Nizar Al-Rashdan — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 27 | Club: Qatar SC (Qatar)
Nizar Al-Rashdan is one of the most important midfielders in Sellami’s setup with 47 caps and 4 international goals.
He screens the defence, provides defensive cover, and is the type of disciplined, intelligent midfielder who allows the more creative players around him to express themselves.
He is expected to play a key role in Sellami’s compact 3-4-3 system as Jordan look to frustrate stronger opponents and break quickly through Al-Taamari and Olwan.
7. Mahmoud Al-Mardi — Forward/Winger
Position: Winger/Forward
Age: 32 | Club: Al-Hussein (Jordan)
Mahmoud Al-Mardi is one of Jordan’s most experienced forwards with 89 caps and 9 international goals.
He provided seven assists in just 12 qualifying starts, which was the most of any Jordan player and one of the best returns in the entire AFC qualifying campaign.
At 32, he remains sharp, tricky, and a constant outlet on the left flank who gives Sellami a reliable attacking option on both sides of the front three.
His delivery and creativity from wide positions are a key weapon in Jordan’s attacking system.
8. Noor Al-Rawabdeh — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 29 | Club: Selangor (Malaysia)
Noor Al-Rawabdeh is one of Jordan’s most experienced and creative midfielders with 68 caps and 3 international goals.
He provides the technical quality and link play in the middle of the park that connects Jordan’s defence to their talented attackers.
His vision, passing, and ability to carry the ball forward make him one of the most important creative players in Sellami’s system.
9. Abdallah Nasib — Defender
Position: Centre-Back
Age: 32 | Club: Al-Zawraa (Iraq)
Abdallah Nasib is one of the senior figures in Jordan’s defensive setup with 65 caps and 3 international goals — a remarkable return for a central defender that reflects his threat from set pieces.
He plays his club football in the Iraqi top flight at Al-Zawraa and brings the physical presence and defensive authority that Sellami needs in the back three.
He is a reliable, experienced, and important part of the defensive spine that will protect Abulaila throughout Group J.
10. Odeh Al-Fakhouri — Forward
Position: Forward/Winger
Age: 20 | Club: Pyramids (Egypt)
Odeh Al-Fakhouri is the most exciting young talent in the Jordan squad and one of the youngest players at the 2026 World Cup from the Asian confederation.
At just 20, he has already earned 10 caps and scored an international goal, and his pace, directness, and fearless attacking style give Sellami a genuine match-changing option from the bench.
He plays in Egypt at Pyramids and is one of the most promising emerging talents in Jordanian football.
He is exactly the kind of young talent that a first World Cup creates a platform for, and a debut tournament on this stage could accelerate his career enormously.
Conclusion
Jordan arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as first-timers and one of the great qualification stories of the tournament.
72 years of trying, one famous night in Muscat, and Ali Olwan’s hat-trick finally got them here.
Group J against Austria, Chile, and Saudi Arabia is tough but entirely winnable.
If Al-Taamari fires and Olwan keeps scoring, Jordan could make the knockout rounds on debut.
Other players worth watching include Ibrahim Sadeh, Mohammad Abu Zrayq, and Mohannad Abu Taha.
Who do you think will be Jordan’s standout player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
