jordan pulse -

- The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off Thursday with a landmark achievement for Jordanian football, as the national team, Nashama, prepares to make its first-ever appearance at the world's premier football tournament.

Hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the tournament marks a new era for the World Cup, featuring 48 teams for the first time following FIFA's decision to expand the competition from 32 nations.

The opening ceremony will be held in Mexico City, followed by the tournament's inaugural match between Mexico and South Africa at Azteca Stadium at 10 p.m. Jordan time. The World Cup will conclude on July 19.

Jordan has been drawn into Group J alongside Austria, Algeria, and Argentina. The national team will begin its World Cup campaign against Austria next Wednesday before facing Algeria on June 23 and Argentina on June 28.

Under the new competition format, the 48 participating teams have been divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 32.

The tournament will be staged across 16 host cities, including 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. A total of 104 matches will be played, up from 64 matches under the previous 32-team format, with organizers expecting record attendance levels across the expanded host venues.

FIFA has allocated a record prize pool of US$871 million for participating teams, the largest in the tournament's history. The governing body previously announced that the champions will receive US$50 million, while the runners-up and third-place finishers will earn US$33 million and US$29 million, respectively.

//Petra// AJ