Jordan’s Issam Smeeri ruled out of FIFA World Cup debut

Jordan defender Issam Smeeri will miss his country’s maiden FIFA World Cup campaign after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Jordan Football Association confirmed on Friday.

The 26-year-old right-back sustained the injury during an individual training session with the national team and has been ruled out of the tournament, which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.

Smeeri’s absence is another major setback for Jordan ahead of their historic World Cup debut.

He joins Yazan Al-Naimat and Adham Al-Quraishi on the growing injury list, with both players also unavailable after failing to recover from anterior cruciate ligament injuries suffered while representing Jordan at the Arab Cup last December.

Despite the injuries, Jordan will still head into the competition full of confidence after securing qualification in memorable fashion.

The Chivalrous Ones booked their place at the World Cup in June 2025 with an impressive 3-0 away victory over Oman, confirming a second-place finish in Asia’s Group B behind South Korea.

Jordan have been drawn into a challenging Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and defending champions Argentina.

It is pertinent to mention that their clash against Lionel Scaloni’s side at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is expected to be one of the standout fixtures of the group stage.

Although the debutants face a difficult task against experienced opposition, Jordan possess several talented players capable of making an impact on football’s biggest stage and will hope to deliver a memorable first appearance at the tournament.