Australia vs Jordan Match Moved to Qatar Due to Player Security Concerns

The Australian men’s national football team will play its upcoming friendly against Jordan in Doha, Qatar, rather than Amman, following concerns regarding player safety in the region.

Football Australia confirmed the venue change after negotiations with the Jordan Football Association.

The decision to relocate the match, originally scheduled for November 17, followed pressure from the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) organization. According to bola.kompas.com, the PFA requested the move after a majority of players expressed clear apprehension about traveling to Jordan amid escalating regional tensions in the Middle East.

Security concerns had intensified following reports of violent incidents in Amman. These developments mirrored a decision by the Indonesian national team, which had previously withdrawn from a planned friendly in Amman due to similar safety considerations.

“I am always happy when I get a national team call-up and can represent my own country,” Awer Mabil said, as cited by Bola.com.

Relocation to Doha

The agreement to move the match to Qatar was finalized after discussions between Jordan Football Association Secretary General Farah Badarneh and Australia’s national team CEO, Martin Kugeler. CNN Indonesia reported that Football Australia expressed gratitude for the flexibility shown by their Jordanian counterparts during the negotiation process.

“We are very grateful to the Jordan Football Association for their willingness to move the match,” Kugeler said in a statement published by the official national team website. He said that the dialogue between the two federations remained professional and cooperative throughout the discussions.

Preparation in Qatar

The Socceroos are currently based in Qatar for their November training camp. The team is scheduled to face Qatar on Friday, November 13, at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, before meeting Jordan on Tuesday, November 17, at a venue yet to be confirmed in Doha.

These matches serve as critical preparation for the squad following the decision to delay the AFC Asian Cup, which was rescheduled from January 2027 to December of that year due to the regional situation, as reported by Goal.com.

Coach Tony Popovic confirmed that the team remains focused on the upcoming fixtures despite the logistical challenges. “Since the beginning, our focus was to play two matches, and the players are ready to face both Qatar and Jordan,” Popovic said.