Crazy story from Jordan: Footballer from the German provinces achieves sensational World Cup qualification

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has its first debutants: Uzbekistan and Jordan secured qualification within a matter of hours. While an Uzbekistan is now playing for Pep Guardiola, a Jordanian recently played for Eichstätt and Eilenburg.

Ahmad Assaf will only be known to the biggest football fans on the planet. Or to those familiar with the local regional and top leagues. The 25-year-old right-back was born in Munich and, with a certain footballing talent, made his way into the ambitious amateur and later semi-professional ranks. Six years and eight clubs after beginning his journey through the footballing lower leagues of Bavaria, Saxony, and Bremen, Assaf has secured qualification for the World Cup.

How is that possible? Assaf was called up to the Jordan national team for the first time at the beginning of the year. A completely crazy story, given the 25-year-old's less-than-stellar club career. SpVgg Landshut, VfB Eichstätt, FC Eilenburg, Türkgücü Munich, Bremer SV, with two stints in Bosnia in between. Assaf now plays for Luxembourg's second division club US Rumelange. And for the Jordan national team. Late Thursday evening, "the Reds," as the footballers from the Arab country are called, qualified for the World Cup for the first time with a 3-0 win in Oman.

Crown Prince in the fan block

For Jordan, qualifying was a dream come true. The dream of a tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, the first FIFA World Cup with 48 participants instead of 32. Jordan undoubtedly benefited from the expanded roster, but unlike the Asian World Cup contender Saudi Arabia, the small football nation secured qualification on the penultimate matchday, while Riyadh was still reeling. That's a remarkable achievement for the comparatively small country of Jordan.

Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah and Prince Hashem were among the fans at Jordan's historic triumph. The eldest and youngest sons of Jordanian King Abdullah II cheered on Ahmad Assaf and his teammates in Muscat. "The Reds" are a team of largely unknown players in Europe: Only Musa al-Tamari, right winger for French first division club Stade Rennes, plays in a top league.

Assaf can certainly prove himself capable of bigger challenges on the big World Cup stage. In Oman, the Rumelingen player even started the game from the start – and finally celebrated World Cup qualification a good two and a half hours after the final whistle. Only then did the match between Iraq and South Korea conclude. Iraq's 2-0 defeat to the Asian football heavyweight in the other group match secured Jordan's early qualification.

Uzbekistan also celebrates its World Cup debut

Just 450 kilometers from Muscat, the first World Cup dream of the day came true this Thursday evening, parallel to Jordan's victory. Uzbekistan also qualified for the World Cup for the first time.

The match between the United Arab Emirates and the "White Wolves of Turan" was hardly a footballing treat. The shabby 0-0 draw in Abu Dhabi nevertheless secured the Uzbeks their first qualification for the finals – 31 years after being recognized as an official FIFA member.

"Qualifying for the World Cup may be nothing special for France, England, or Brazil. But for us, it is the fulfillment of a dream of the entire people, the honorable end of a generation of hopes," wrote the Uzbek local press, thus celebrating the end of a qualification nightmare.

The national team from the world's largest doubly landlocked country—only Liechtenstein, like Uzbekistan, is entirely landlocked—has narrowly failed to qualify for the World Cup several times. In 2006, for example, they were just one goal away from scoring against the by no means overpowering Bahrain to qualify for the knockout round against the by no means overpowering Trinidad & Tobago. In 2002, 2014, and 2018, they were also close to making it onto the world football stage.

Defender plays for Man City

The Uzbek Football Federation laid its foundations at the beginning of the millennium, just a few years after its founding. Consistent youth development has led the U20 team from the former Soviet country to multiple participation in the U20 World Cup. In 2003 and 2009, Uzbekistan was eliminated in the group stage, but in 2013 and 2015, the team sensationally reached the quarterfinals, and in 2023, they reached the round of 16.

Abdukodir Khusanov's star rose to prominence at the U20 World Cup two years ago. The now 21-year-old central defender was even signed by Manchester City in January and has played six Premier League matches under coach Pep Guardiola in the second half of the season.

The second well-known player in the Uzbek team is Eldor Shomurodov. The 29-year-old striker has now made 129 Serie A appearances, currently plays for AS Roma, and recently played alongside Mats Hummels. Perhaps the 2014 World Cup winner has given him some valuable World Cup experience.

Comoros and Cape Verde also hope

Uzbekistan and Jordan may be the first debutants to qualify for 2026, but the two Asian teams are unlikely to be the last.

In Asia, Indonesia, Oman, and Palestine also still have a chance of making their first appearance at the World Cup. Indonesia, in particular, with former Dutch star striker Patrick Kluivert as coach and future Mönchengladbach player Kevin Diks as defensive leader, has a lot to look forward to.

In Africa, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cape Verde, Gabon, Mozambique, Namibia, and the Comoros still have hope. In South America, Venezuela is waiting to realize its great dream. And even the huge underdog New Caledonia still has a small chance.

Perhaps by the summer of 2026, other World Cup players will be able to boast a biography like Ahmad Assaf. But from Landshut, via Eichstätt, Eilenburg, and Rümelingen to the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico? That will be hard to top.