First Touch ’26 - Jordan

The World Cup has a new debutant: Jordan’s Al-Nashama, “the chivalrous ones,” finally stepping onto the biggest stage.

In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass unpacks how a country better known for Petra and the Jordan River quietly built a serious football culture, from British-introduced games in the 1920s and early regional success to near-misses like the 2014 playoff defeat to Uruguay. We revisit the rise of domestic giants Al-Faisaly and Al-Wehdat and how their fierce rivalry reflects deeper questions of identity and community.

Then we follow Jordan’s breakthrough run: an Asian Cup final in 2023, a nervy coaching change, and a third-round qualifying campaign where a disciplined defense and clutch wins over Oman and Iraq edged them into 2026 just behind South Korea. Up front, poacher Ali Olwan headlines a growing group of overseas-based players ready to shock bigger names. For a nation with no prior World Cup history, this feels like the start of something much bigger than one tournament.