What happened?
The Jordan match was scheduled in Amman on 17 November, as one of two Australia friendlies in the November international window; the first is against Qatar in Doha. 5
On 13 November 2026, Football Australia announced that the Jordan Football Association had accepted its request to move the match to Doha, and that it will be played on Tuesday 17 November against Jordan, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup runners-up, with the stadium and kick-off time to be confirmed. 2 3
The agreement followed a meeting in Amman between Farah Badarneh, the Jordan FA's Acting General Secretary, and Martin Kugeler, Football Australia's CEO, and lets the Socceroos stay at their base in Doha and play the match there. 2 1
Why was the match moved?
Football Australia's statement gives no reason for the move, noting only that the team is currently based in Doha. 2 But AP reported that the team's players and staff had made clear they felt the Amman match should be rescheduled or relocated, while AFP said the players had raised concerns about travelling to Jordan given tensions in the Middle East. 1 4
Before the squad was announced, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) said the match should not go ahead in Amman, and AFP quoted its chief executive Beau Busch as saying the players had "overwhelmingly" expressed the view that it should be rescheduled or relocated. 4
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises Australians to reconsider travel to Jordan because of the unpredictable security situation and the threat of terrorism. 1 4
AP reported that the US State Department is reducing staffing at four US embassies in the Middle East, including Amman, after receiving intelligence that Iran has stepped up efforts to target American personnel in the region and elsewhere. The agency also noted that an assailant killed a security officer outside the Sri Lankan Embassy in Amman on Thursday 5 November 2026. 1
What did the two sides say?
Kugeler said Football Australia was "very grateful" to the Jordan Football Association for accepting the move, and described the dialogue with it as "open, respectful and collaborative". He also thanked the Australian embassies in Jordan and Qatar and the Qatar Football Association for helping with the switch. 2 4
Coach Tony Popovic said the team's focus had been on playing two matches from the outset, and that the players "are ready for both Qatar and Jordan". 2
Why do these two matches matter?
When they were announced in September, the Socceroos described the Qatar and Jordan matches as their final games before the camp for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, which was then due to start in January. 5
But AP and AFP reported that the tournament has been postponed from January to December 2027 because of the security situation in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. 1 4 Popovic called the two matches "crucial" because the players have limited time together, especially now that the Asian Cup has been rescheduled, and said this will be the team's last camp for four months. 2 1