DOHA, Qatar -- Football Australia has told ESPN it remains confident the Socceroos will play two games during the November international window, after chief executive Martin Kugeler flew to Amman on Wednesday for crisis talks with the Jordan FA.
Currently in Doha for of a friendly against Qatar, Australia's men are scheduled to travel to Amman to play Jordan next Tuesday. However, security concerns continue to cast doubt over that fixture, with Australian authorities advising citizens to "reconsider your need to travel to Jordan overall due to the unpredictable security situation in Jordan and the region and the threat of terrorism."
Football Australia chair Anter Issac told SEN on Tuesday that player and staff safety was "of paramount importance" and that he hoped a "resolution" for the game would be found. After meeting with players in Doha on Tuesday, Kugeler travelled onwards to Amman on Wednesday morning for further talks with his Jordanian counterparts, while Football Australia executive director of football Heather Garriock has since also landed in Qatar.
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All 24 members of the Socceroos squad have arrived in Doha, with no indications that Friday's game against Qatar is in jeopardy.
"Football Australia has had positive dialogue with Socceroos players and staff regarding the second match in this FIFA international window. The safety of the team has always been, and remains, paramount," a Football Australia spokesperson told ESPN. "We commend the players and staff for their professionalism. While their full focus is on Friday's match against Qatar, we are all determined to play two matches in this window.
"We are in constructive discussions with the Jordan Football Association, which is also committed to playing an official match next week. We greatly appreciate the Jordan FA's diligence, support and effort in working with us to find a solution."
Potential outcomes for the Jordan fixture are uncertain. Concerns linger players could withdraw from the squad rather than travel to Amman, with coach Tony Popovic backing players by saying any who did so would not be punished in future selections. It's understood the federation remains steadfast in its desire to find a way to ensure the Socceroos to play two games this window, with Kugeler actively discussing a wide range of options in collaboration with his Jordanian counterparts. AAP has reported that alternative venues, such as Doha, have been raised, but relocating the fixture would require the Jordanian FA's consent.
Amid ongoing consultation with players, Professional Footballers Australia chief Beau Busch has also travelled to Doha, the union boss previously having said that players are "overwhelmingly" of the view that the Jordanian fixture should be rescheduled or relocated. Popovic will be the first member of the playing or coaching staff to field questions on the situation since the start of the window at his official pre-match press conference on Thursday, with training on Wednesday, during which the squad was visited by Tim Cahill, closed to media.
The postponement of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and security concerns has already led Indonesia to withdraw from a friendly against Jordan in Amman, with a PSSI official telling Reuters: "We decided to cancel it primarily due to security considerations. We know that the situation in the Middle East is currently not good, so we took into account concerns that it could affect the psychological well-being of the players and the team. Based on that, I communicated with the coach and PSSI chief that we had to be brave enough to take a stance."
Elsewhere in the region, the United States confirmed on Wednesday that it was withdrawing from the Under-17 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to be held in Doha from Nov. 19 to Dec. 13, over security concerns. That came after the United States embassy in Doha issued an alert last Saturday warning that "Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance due to the increased threat of armed attacks by Iranian-supported Houthis and Iranian efforts to target U.S. government officials in the region."
Australia's under-17 squad has also qualified for the World Cup, their first since 2019, with Carl Veart's side due to open their campaign against Argentina next Thursday.
