Algeria mounted a second-half comeback to beat Jordan 2-1 on June 22 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, eliminating Jordan from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Group J stage.
Nizar Alrashdan gave Jordan the lead in the 36th minute. It looked like the tournament debutants might pull off a statement result. They didn’t.
The comeback
Nadhir Benbouali equalized for Algeria in the 69th minute, shifting the momentum entirely. Thirteen minutes later, Amine Gouiri delivered the winner in the 82nd, completing a turnaround that sent Jordan home and kept Algeria’s group-stage hopes very much alive.
For Jordan, this was their first-ever World Cup appearance. The 2026 tournament expanded to 48 teams, opening the door for nations that had never previously qualified. Algeria, by contrast, has World Cup pedigree. The victory improves their prospects of advancing beyond the group, though their fate still depends on remaining fixtures.
