Socceroos name under-strength squad for Jordan friendly amid player safety fears
Football Australia will continue to assess the security situation ahead of a planned match in Jordan this month, with players having called for the fixture to be rescheduled.
The Socceroos have named an inexperienced squad for upcoming friendly internationals in the Middle East, featuring seven uncapped players. Coach Tony Popovic's selection omits several veterans, including captain Maty Ryan, Jackson Irvine, Milos Degenek, and midfielder Aiden O'Neill. ABC News reports it is unclear if these players made themselves unavailable due to safety concerns.
Football Australia stated it will continue to assess the security environment ahead of the team's travel to Amman, Jordan. The squad is scheduled to play Qatar in Doha on November 13, followed by a match against Jordan three days later. According to the PFA, players overwhelmingly expressed that the fixture in Jordan should be relocated or rescheduled.
The friendlies were originally intended to prepare the team for the Asian Cup, which has been moved from January to December 2027 because of security concerns in Saudi Arabia. Both The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald report that Football Australia is continuing to assess the security situation ahead of the planned match in Jordan this month.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News, ABC News AU — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
