New York, June 11 (Petra) -- The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday in Mexico City, bringing together 48 national teams for the expanded global tournament.

Among the participating nations is Jordan, which is set to make its first appearance in the expanded competition. Al-Nashama will open their Group J campaign on June 17 as they step onto football’s biggest stage at this scale.

Drawn in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria and Argentina, the Jordanian national team is aiming to build on its recent progress and compete strongly for a place in the knockout stage.

The tournament opens with hosts Mexico facing South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca following the opening ceremony in the Mexican capital.

Jordan will begin its World Cup campaign against Austria on June 17, before meeting Algeria on June 23. The team will conclude its group-stage fixtures against Argentina on June 28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The first two matches of Jordan’s campaign will be held at a San Francisco Bay Area, one of the key stadiums hosting the tournament and scheduled to stage seven matches throughout the competition. The venue’s programme begins on June 13 with Qatar taking on Switzerland, followed by Türkiye facing Paraguay on June 19.

Weather forecasts for Jordan’s opening match against Austria indicate mild summer conditions, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures expected to hover around 14 degrees Celsius in the San Francisco area.

//Petra// WH