ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan men’s football team on Sunday arrived in Jordan to play their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round 2 Qualifier away fixture against the Middle Eastern side, which is scheduled to be held on Mar. 26.
Jordan thrashed Pakistan 3-0 at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad during the first qualifying match between the two sides last Thursday. The match marked the first time in 18 years that Jordan’s football team arrived in Pakistan to play a football match.
To play their second qualifying match, the Pakistan team departed for Jordan in the wee hours of Sunday.
“The national team arrived in Amman through a private airline flight via Doha,” the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said in a statement.
The Pakistan vs Jordan away match will start at 12pm Pakistan time on March 26.
In a setback for Pakistan, the PFF earlier announced that Pakistani defender Abdullah Iqbal had been suspended for the crucial game as a result of accumulated yellow cards during recent matches.
Iqbal was issued the first yellow card during the initial round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match against Cambodia in Islamabad on Oct. 17, 2023.
“Subsequently, he acquired another yellow card during a home match against Jordan in the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on the 21st of March, 2024,” the PFF said.
Last October, Pakistan beat Cambodia 1-0 to win their first ever FIFA World Cup qualifier in Islamabad. Pakistan subsequently lost 4-0 to Saudi Arabia in the second round.
Pakistan football team arrives in Jordan to play World Cup qualifying away fixture
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Pakistan football team arrives in Jordan to play World Cup qualifying away fixture
- Jordan thrashed Pakistan last Thursday 3-0 in first FIFA World Cup qualifying match between two sides
- Pakistani defender Abdullah Iqbal suspended for crucial away match due to accumulated yellow cards
Turkish agents capture senior Daesh member on Afghanistan-Pakistan border
- The Turkish citizen was allegedly tasked with suicide bombings in Turkiye, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Europe
- It was not clear when the operation took place or whether Afghan and Pakistani authorities were involved
ANKARA: Turkish intelligence agents have captured a senior member of the Daesh (Islamic State) group in an area along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, allegedly thwarting planned suicide attacks in Turkiye and elsewhere, Turkiye’s state-run news agency reported Monday.
Anadolu Agency said the suspect was identified as Mehmet Goren and a member of the group’s Afghanistan-based Daesh-Khorasan (IS-K) branch. He was caught in a covert operation and transferred to Turkiye.
It was not clear when the operation took place or whether Afghan and Pakistani authorities were involved.
The report said the Turkish citizen allegedly rose within the organization’s ranks and was given the task of carrying out suicide bombings in Turkiye, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Europe.
Daesh has carried out deadly attacks in Turkiye, including a shooting at an Istanbul night club on Jan. 1, 2017, which killed 39 people.
Monday’s report said Goren’s capture allegedly also exposed the group’s recruitment methods and provided intelligence on its planned activities.
