Introduction to Jordan’s Football Scene
"We love football as well as every country in the world," Ayah Hussein told DW. She was one of many female fans who were looking forward to seeing the men’s national team in the Jordan in the Amman International Stadium. "There were as many women as men in the café, and women are just as happy to see the Jordan flag at the World Cup." The most recent match against Iraq was a friendly game after Jordan won the qualification for her first World Cup a few days earlier.
Excitement for the World Cup
"I can’t wait to see the games next year," added Hussein. "It will be a big party because we have been waiting for it for a long time." A year after the men appeared on the global stage, the world championship of women comes. Jordan is about to qualify and wants to appear at the tournament for the first time. The team made it to the 2015 and 2019 before it only fell for a short time. A top finish in the Asian Cup 2026 is sufficient to receive a ticket to Brazil in 2027.
Steady Growth
Jordan started his women’s program in 2005, at a time when many countries in West Asia did not take part in football at all. At this time there were around 30 players to choose from all over the country. The work of the past two decades has started to bear fruit in recent years. "We have players who retired and now work in the Federation. When she started in her role, the games were only observed by the families of the players." Now more and more people are going, interest is growing. You are now watching a professional league that begins last season in September and contains six clubs.
Challenges on and Off the Field
It was a long journey that was cited since 1999 by Prince Ali Bin Hussein, President of the JFA, who once found that "women are 50% of our society and should be involved in everything". The prince as a member of the FIFA Executive Committee was instrumental in convincing the world to increase his ban on players who wear hijabs – the headscarves that some Muslim women wore – 2012. There were other battles too. In a conservative Muslim country, not everyone agreed that girls should do sports. "They would not be physically but verbally attacked on social media on social media," said Husseini.
Shaping the Fame
There are also considerable financial benefits from the men who reach the World Cup. It was reported that the total prize money for the 2026 tournament will be about twice the EUR 440 million (EUR 379 million) in 2022. For Jordan FA, it could be worth between 10 and 20 million US dollars in terms of appearance. The commercial income of sponsors is also expected. A more rich federation is good news for women’s play. "The obstacle to women’s football is always money," said Husseini. "Having many teams on all levels, getting in tournaments and enough to travel. The World Cup means more money for the Federation – and more money for women’s play means more opportunities."
A Stronger Region
This is also the case elsewhere in the region. Twenty years ago, Jordan was a lonely federation in the women’s play in West Asia. Now other Arab nations are going to the pitch. Palestine, Bahrain, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates and for the first time Saudi Arabia and Iraq are trying to qualify for the 2027 World Cup. If the neighbors can improve, everyone can benefit from a stronger region. "You have to introduce Asia in a regional and non-continental context," Khalil al-Salem, General Secretary of the West Asian Football Association (Waff), told DW. "You have to say Jordan that you qualify for the World Cup when you hit the 11 others in Waff. This encourages young associations such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia to put more money in women as you see a qualification path."
