AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan has ordered a delay in the start of official working hours on days when Jordan’s national football team competes in the FIFA World Cup finals, allowing citizens to follow and support the team during its historic participation in the tournament.

 

Under the decision, government institutions will begin work at 10am on June 17, 23 and 28, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

 

The measure aims to enable Jordanians to watch the national team’s matches and rally behind the squad as it makes its first-ever appearance on football’s biggest stage.

 

Jordan qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in the Kingdom’s history, finished runners-up at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, and secured second place at the 2025 Arab Cup, achievements that collectively elevated Jordan’s football profile across Asia and beyond.

 

Since 1986, Jordan participated in the World Cup qualifiers 7 times. They nearly qualified to the 2014 World Cup and played then FIFA 6th ranked Uruguay in an intercontinental qualifying tie before exiting. Round 3 was the furthest they reached in earlier editions.

 

World 63rd ranked Jordan is set to play 7-time World Cup qualifier 13th ranked Columbia in San Diego on June 7 in the final friendly before the Nashama squad kicks off World Cup Group J matches in San Francisco against FIFA 24th ranked Austria, on June 17, and 28th ranked Algeria on June 23.

 

The team will then travel to Dallas to play World 3rd ranked reigning World champions Argentina on June 23 in the last Round 1 match.