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Australia’s international football friendly against Jordan will be played in the Qatari capital Doha instead of Amman because of security concerns, Football Australia announced on Friday.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17. The two federations agreed on the new venue after a meeting in Amman between Football Australia CEO Martin Kugeler and Farah Badarneh, acting general secretary of the Jordan Football Association.
“We are very grateful to the Jordan Football Association for accepting to relocate the match,” Kugeler said in a statement. He also thanked Australia’s embassies in Jordan and Qatar and the Qatar Football Association for their help.
The change follows objections from the Australian squad. Last week, the players’ union, Professional Footballers Australia, said most of the players wanted the Jordan game postponed or played somewhere else.
Australia’s government currently advises its citizens to reconsider travel to Jordan, pointing to an unpredictable security situation.
The national team, known as the Socceroos, is already in Doha and plays Qatar there on Friday at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. The relocation means the team can stay in Qatar for both matches. The stadium and kickoff time for the Jordan game will be announced later.
The friendlies were planned as preparation for the AFC Asian Cup. The tournament was due to be held in Saudi Arabia in January but has been pushed back to December 2027 after attacks on the country by Yemen’s Houthi group. (AA)
