The Jordan national football team began training in the Albanian capital, Tirana, after arriving the day before yesterday from Turkey, to face the home team (Albania) in a friendly match tomorrow, Tuesday at 9 PM Jordan time.

The team suffered a 0-1 friendly loss on Friday at the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Stadium against Bolivia, concluding a 10-day training camp in the Turkish city of Izmit. Tomorrow’s match is also part of their preparations for the Arab Cup in Qatar early December and long-term preparations for the 2026 World Cup finals.

Player Ibrahim Sabra did not accompany the team due to an injury sustained during the Bolivia match; the medical and technical staff preferred he stay in Turkey to continue treatment. Reports indicate his injury is not serious and he will be ready for upcoming commitments.

Additionally, examinations of goalkeeper Noor Bani Atiya showed a minor injury from the same match, and he will continue with the team, expected to be present in the Albania match squad.

The squad includes 28 players: Yazid Abu Layla, Noor Al-Din Bani Atiya, Malik Shalabiya, Abdullah Naseeb, Youssef Abu Al-Jazar, Mohammad Abu Al-Nadi, Hadi Al-Hourani, Salim Obeid, Saad Al-Rousan, Muhannad Abu Taha, Mohammad Abu Hashish, Ali Hajbi, Adham Al-Quraishi, Issam Samiri, Nizar Al-Rashdan, Ibrahim Saadeh, Noor Al-Rawabdeh, Amer Jamous, Ahmad Al-Salman, Mousa Al-Tamari, Mahmoud Mardi, Ali Alwan, Ali Azaiza, Mohammad Abu Zuraik “Sharara”, Ouda Fakhouri, Abdullah Al-Shaibatat, Rizq Bani Hani, and Wazan Al-Naimat.

Lineup Sparks Sports Community Debate

After the Bolivia match, opinions varied widely in the sports community, with much discussion about the starting lineup chosen by coach Jamal Al-Salami. The debate was intense between supporters and critics, often lacking logic, with few realistically judging the match as a friendly and experimental game, where coaches and analysts have different goals.

Overall, tomorrow’s match differs from Friday’s; Bolivia is a tough team playing a physical style with high energy and running, while the Albania match will be more tactical and technical, featuring European football techniques, structured play, exploiting field spaces, and a different artistic style.

Without turning this into an analysis, coach Jamal Al-Salami fully understands the importance of this match and what he wants to achieve against a European team fighting to qualify for the World Cup alongside the continent’s top teams. Salami stated to the media that this match is stronger than the previous one, placing expectations high for the Jordanian team against a real competitor playing modern football.

About the Albanian Team

Albanian striker Rey Manaj, who plays for Sharjah club, led his team to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Serbia in the sixth round of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The match-winning goal came in first-half stoppage time. Manaj left the game injured in the 77th minute and earned a rating of 7.8 out of 10, the second-best player after Albanian goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, who scored 8.4 out of 10.

The win raised Albania’s points to 11, placing them second behind England and four points ahead of Serbia. Albanian sports media praised the team’s and Manaj’s performance.

Albania’s chances look very good after overcoming Serbia, with one final match against Andorra, who is last with only one point. This match will be held on November 13 in Tirana.

If Albania maintains second place, they will face two opponents determined by draw in the European playoffs, where the top 12 group finishers qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, and the remaining four spots are decided through playoffs.