Jordan’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup marked one of the greatest achievements in the country’s football history, with “Al Nashama” reaching the global finals for the first time. Jordan secured their place with a famous 3-0 win away to Oman, inspired by a hat-trick from striker Ali Olwan. The achievement sparked celebrations across the kingdom, with King Abdullah II leading tributes to a side that has become one of Asia’s fastest-rising football nations.How Jordan qualified for the 2026 World CupHome and away wins over Palestine and Oman, alongside draws against Kuwait and Group B winners South Korea, saw the Jordanians secure second place in the third round of Asian World Cup qualifying.Jordan punched their ticket to the 2026 finals in their penultimate group match away in Oman.With Crown Prince Hussein joining away supporters in the crowd at Muscat, an Ali Olwan penalty deep into first-half stoppage time calmed nerves before two second-half goals completed a hat-trick and, much more importantly, a historic first World Cup appearance for Jordan.King Abdullah II led the tributes, posting on X: “This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud."How are they shaping up?Jordan's plans for the World Cup have been severely hampered by injuries to key players.Yazan Al Naimat and Adham Al Qurashi are definitely out, while star striker Ali Olwan continues his recovery after undergoing surgery to repair torn ankle ligaments sustained playing for his club in February.Eleven months ago, the forward scored all three goals in that famous 3-0 win in Oman that sent a country wild with delight and onto the global stage.The 26-year-old’s reputation only grew last December when he ended the Fifa Arab Cup as the top scorer with six goals as Al Nashama reached the final, losing narrowly to Morocco but defeating Asian rivals Iraq and Saudi Arabia along the way.Ali Olwan is in a race against time to be first for the World Cup. ReutersInfoAlong with Mousa Al Tamari, Olwan and Al Naimat were supposed to form the attacking triumvirate that would offer Jordan hope of pulling off a shock in a challenging Group J containing world champions Argentina, Algeria and Austria.Olwan has not played for his Qatari club Al Saillya since February 5. His 27 goals in 57 international appearances leave him only six shy of Hamza Al Dardour's national record. With time running out to prove his fitness, Jordan's dream debut risks turning into a World Cup nightmare.Al Tamari must carry the torchWhen Jordan sealed qualification for the 2026 World Cup last June, billboards in the capital Amman carried three faces: Al Tamari, Al Naimat and Olwan, the attacking trio that took Jordan from nearly men to one of Asia’s most compelling sides.With Al Naimat out and Olwan's fitness a huge concern, the responsibility for carrying Jordan's hopes at the World Cup rests on Al Tamari's shoulders.He has shown in the past he can rise to the occasion. At the 2023 Asian Cup, Al Tamari was seminal in Jordan reaching a first continental final. Al Tamari scored a superb curling goal and set up the other in a 2-0 semi-final win over South Korea. Jordan ultimately lost the final 3-1 to hosts Qatar, but the tournament enhanced Al Tamari’s reputation both at home and abroad, and offered proof that his considerable talents are capable of defining big games.A rapid winger, Al Tamari plays his club football in France, at Rennes, fulfilling a lifelong dream to play in Europe. "Since I was young, I dreamed of making a career in football and of playing in one of the five great [European] championships," Al Tamari told Ligue 1's official website.▶Since moving to Rennes from Montpellier for a reported fee of €9 million, Al Tamari has continued to flourish.Of his six Ligue 1 goals in 2025/26, one in particular stands out. The game against Lyon on March 5 ended with Rennes losing 4-2, but Al Tamari's exquisite left-foot volley from the tightest of angles showed that, even if Olwan is unable to play, Jordan still have a player capable of conjuring magical moments.Sellami's plan to stop Messi and CoJordan’s World Cup qualification was no coincidence, more a culmination of steady progress. The groundwork was first laid by Husseim Ammouta in guiding the team to the 2023 Asian Cup final and carried on by fellow Moroccan Jamal Sellami, who successfully navigated the team through two rounds of Asian qualifying.Sellami's reward for guiding the team to a first World Cup was citizenship and a place in the heart of every Jordanian. "As a coach, naturally, we were part of the accomplishment, we have a hand in this historic achievement and this dream Jordanian football realised," he said in an interview with Fifa.com. "But my feelings were relief and happiness, due to the fact that I got the national team and the Jordanian people to feel pride and turning this dream to a reality."Their reward is a chance to share a global stage with the likes of Lionel Messi's world champions Argentina, a "unique experience" according to Sellami, in their final group match."I hope that he will be present because he is still a football icon, so the match will be very exciting. It’s a game that we hope will be the one that seals our place in the next round of the World Cup," Sellami said."Facing Messi is a unique experience. This represents a great challenge for our players, and we have our specific set-up for each stage because before the Argentina match, we have two other very important matches. The match against Messi will require special preparation."Sellami said the World Cup will allow the national team to showcase Jordanian traits of "courage, unity, boldness and presence" and hopes it will pave the way for future generations to follow."Participating in the World Cup is a major accomplishment in itself. It's an opportunity for any player, for any coach, and for any country, to show their personality, culture and ambition. Being at the World Cup is an opportunity for us to show that we qualified from Asia, and that we deserve to showcase Jordanian football," he added.FixturesGroup Jv Austria, June 16 in Santa Clara, Californiav Algeria, June 22 in Santa Clara, Californiav Argentina, June 27 in Arlington, DallasSquadGoalkeepers: Yazid Abulaila (Al Hussein), Abdallah Al Fakhouri (Al Wehdat), Ahmad Al Juiadi (Shabab Al Ordon), Nour Bani Attiah (Al Faisaly)Defenders: Mohammad Abualnadi (Selangor), Yousef Abu Al Jazar (Al Hussein), Husam Abu Dahab (Al Faisaly), Mohammed Abu Hashish (Al Karma), Mohannad Abu Taha (Al Quwa Al Jawiya), Yazan Al Arab (FC Seoul), Saed Al Rosna (Al Hussein), Ahmad Assaf (Al-Hussein), Anas Badawi (Al Faisaly), Abdallah Nasib (Al Zawraa), Ehsan Haddad (Al Hussein), Saleem Obaid (Al Hussein), Mohammad Abu Taha (Al Quwa Al Jawiya)Midfielders: Mohammed Al Dawoud (Al-Wehdat), Nizar Al Rashdan (Qatar SC), Noor Al Rawabdeh (Selangor), Rajaei Ayed (Al-Hussein), Amer Jamous (Al Zawraa), Yousef Qashi (Al Hussein), Ibrahim Sadeh (Al Karma)Forwards: Mohammed Abu Zraiq (Raja Casablanca), Mousa Al Tamari (Rennes), Ali Azaizeh (Al Shabab), Odeh Al Fakhouri (Pyramids), Ali Olwan (Al Sailiaya), Ibrahim Sabra (Lokomotiva Zagreb)