Australia's friendly against Jordan has been moved from Amman to Doha due to security concerns. The match will now be played in the Qatari capital on Tuesday, 17 November, with the Socceroos already based there for their game against Qatar this Friday.
Football Australia chief executive Martin Kugeler confirmed the relocation, thanking the Jordan Football Association for its cooperation. "We are very grateful to the Jordan Football Association for accepting to relocate the match," Kugeler said. "We know how much the Jordan team and fans were looking forward to welcoming the CommBank Socceroos to Amman." The decision was made after a meeting between Kugeler and JFA Acting General Secretary Farah Badarneh in Amman.
The move follows advice from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for citizens to reconsider travel to Jordan. Professional Footballers Australia advised that players had expressed worries about the security situation, prompting the switch to ensure their safety amid regional tensions.
Head coach Tony Popovic said the squad is prepared for the altered schedule. "It’s great to have the second match of this FIFA international window, against Jordan, confirmed," Popovic said. "We were always confident that a positive outcome would be reached." He noted this camp is the team's last for four months, making the two matches vital preparation ahead of the Asian Cup, which was postponed to December 2027.
The Socceroos will face Qatar at Doha's Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium on Friday before staying in the country to meet Jordan. Both matches will be broadcast on Paramount+. The fixture against Jordan will be the ninth meeting between the two nations.
Background and full detail: Football Australia
