AMMAN — Economist said that national football team’s (The Nashama) qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is not only a sport achievement, but also has economic benefits for the country.

 

Jordan’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 can be seen economically as more than a sports achievement. It gives Jordan strong international visibility and improves its global image as a stable, ambitious country with young talent, said Economist Raad Mahmoud Al-Tal.

 

“This attention can increase consumer confidence at home and attract interest from investors and tourists abroad,” Al-Tal told The Jordan Times.

 

While qualification alone does not automatically create economic growth, it opens opportunities for higher spending, sponsorships, media exposure, and stronger national branding that can support economic activity if managed well, he added.

 

“Jordanian companies can benefit by using the World Cup as a marketing platform, especially since matches will be played in the United States, the world’s largest economy,” the economist said.

 

He noted that businesses can promote Jordanian products, link their brands to the national team, and target international and diaspora markets through digital campaigns and partnerships.

 

The economist added that sectors such as tourism, food industries, pharmaceuticals, clothing, media, and sports related services are likely to gain the most, either directly through sales and promotion or indirectly through increased global interest in Jordan.

 

Jordan has been drawn alongside Argentina, Algeria and Austria in Group J of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

 

The 2026 edition will be the biggest World Cup in history, hosted across the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. The expanded format features 48 teams, an increase of 16 from Qatar’s 2022 edition, offering broader representation on football’s global stage.

 

Jordan’s placement in Group J sets the stage for a historic debut, as The Nashama prepare to face some of the world’s strongest football nations, including defending champions Argentina.

 

The Nashama on December 18 lost their final match of the FIFA Arab Cup 3-2 to Morocco.

 

Issam Qadamani, an economist and former head of the economic department at Al Rai Arabic daily, said that the momentum that The Nashama created following the qualification for the World Cup should change sports into an industry.

 

“The beginning is through building an international sports city in the new Amra City project as a long-term step if we want to invest this achievement and change into a policy,” Qadamani noted.

 

Qadamani noted that the sports industry is a massive and rapidly growing economic sector that encompasses all activities related to sports, including investment, marketing, technology, management, and sponsorship.

 

It has evolved from being merely a pastime into a trillion-dollar industry, driven by sponsorships, ticket sales, broadcasting rights, equipment trade, and sports tourism, with a growing role for technology—such as esports and data analytics—in enhancing its growth as well as its social and environmental impact, he added.

 

The global value of the sports sector exceeds $2.4 trillion, Qadamani said, noting that encouraging players to play for foreign teams is an important economic source.

 

“The momentum that accompanied The Nashama’s qualification for the World Cup is a chance that should not be missed,” said the economist.