Strategic Vision for Jordanian Football
The Jordan Football Association has unveiled a forward-looking strategy for Jordanian football, anchored by four main pillars: technical excellence, empowerment and growth, infrastructure, and social engagement. This plan seeks to elevate performance, foster sustainable development, and strengthen the sport’s role across society, with a touch of ambition that even the ball would applaud if it could talk.
The strategy was presented via a concise video during the federation’s Diamond Jubilee celebration, held under the patronage of Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, with Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and FIFA President Gianni Infantino among the attendees. It was a ceremony that combined heritage with a roadmap for the future, and yes, there were enough cameras to make a selfie stick jealous.
The official line from Prince Ali, echoed in a formal statement, emphasized that implementing the strategy will benefit every component of the football ecosystem, ensuring comprehensive and sustainable development. It also highlighted football’s national value, broad fan engagement, and the wide impact on workers and players across society. If football is a language, this plan is learning to fluently negotiate with it.
We in the federation remain grateful to the government for opening doors and sharing a vision toward a sustainable future for Jordanian football—a future that enjoys the king’s backing and the crown prince’s continued support. If confidence had a jersey, it would be wearing the federation’s colors.
The General Secretary, Samar Nassar, explained that the new strategy followed an in-depth assessment of the current situation, conducted within a framework that understands realities, addresses challenges with a clear methodology, and reveals opportunities to be leveraged. Translation: they did their homework and brought a map, not a doodle on a napkin.
She noted that the four pillars encompass 32 defined goals and more than 160 actionable initiatives. In other words, this is not a flyer; it’s a blueprint with a back pocket full of checklists and timelines.
The aims include developing a high-performance environment for the national teams, sustaining commercial growth, and strengthening institutional and individual capacities across the ecosystem. Infrastructure upgrades and social activation are also top priorities, because a game is better with better seats and brighter streetlights in the neighborhood.
The strategic summary also outlined initiatives such as a national infrastructure plan for stadiums, a unified coaching philosophy aligned with national talent, and the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the Jordanian Pro League. There’s also a focus on nurturing youth and relaunching Prince Ali’s youth centers to cultivate the next generation of players.
In social engagement, the strategy calls for establishing a national football museum and an electronic archiving system to preserve Jordan’s football history for future fans and researchers alike. History, after all, is a game you can replay—and sometimes win at the skip button.
Diamond Jubilee Highlights
The federation celebrated its Diamond Jubilee by presenting a documentary titled “From the Threshold of a Dream to the Lights of Glory,” tracing Jordanian football’s journey from its 1923 origins to the historic 2026 World Cup qualification. The event also unveiled a new league trophy, designed and crafted domestically, reflecting national identity and Jordanian heritage.
The ceremony honored a number of figures who shaped the game, including King Shukri, Auni Hassouna, and several influential coaches and players who contributed to the national team’s story. It was a reminder that history can inspire a modern game.
Round 6 of the Federation Shield
On another front, Round 6 of the Federation Shield (Der’a Al-Ittihad) kicked off in Zarqa, with games staged at Prince Mohammed Stadium. The schedule featured Al-Baqa against Al-Sarhan, Al-Faisaly against Al-Ahli, Shabab Al-Ordon versus Ramtha, Al-Hussein Irbid against Al-Salt, and Al-Jazeera versus Al-Wehdat. The Shield operates as a single-phase league; the team with the most points earns the right to participate in next season’s Super Cup. The competition runs during international breaks to maximize player exposure and uncover fresh talent from the youth ranks.
In short, Jordan’s football strategy is not a one-off press release but a layered extension of the sport’s spirit—combining ambition, accountability, and a taste for national pride. And if the plan needs a mascot, I’d suggest a football that never stops bouncing—much like the ideas here.
Punchline time: If this strategy scores, it’ll be the kind of win that makes the calendar say “we should’ve planned this sooner.” And if not, well, at least the graphs look sharp on the slide deck. Sniper-style joke: the plan aims so far forward that even the forwards need a time machine to stay onside.
