Jordan players take part in a training session.
Doha, Qatar: Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami said his players are ready for a strong start when they face the UAE in their FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 Group C opener at Al Bayt Stadium today.
Jordan will enter today’s fixture with high ambitions after securing a ticket to the World Cup, while the UAE will look to make amends after being eliminated from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Sellami said the squad arrived in Doha in high spirits after their historic qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“We arrived in Doha with great ambition. We are prepared and the morale is high after qualifying for the World Cup,” the Jordan coach said at the pre-match press conference.
He stressed that Jordan will stick to a step-by-step approach. “We deal with one match at a time. Our focus now is on the first match against the UAE who showed strong form in the World Cup playoff,” Sellami said.
Jordan will be without six key players for various reasons. Despite those absences, Sellami backed his squad to deliver.
“Even with six key players missing, I have full confidence in the rest of the squad to perform at a high level,” he said.
On the opposite bench, UAE coach Cosmin Olaroiu predicted a difficult contest against a team he described as one of Asia’s rising forces.
“Facing Jordan will not be easy. They are a developed team which has been producing strong performances and notable results,” Olaroiu said.
He pointed to Jordan’s recent record as proof of their progress.
“Jordan reached the Asian Cup final and qualified for the World Cup. We respect them, but we are fully ready for this match,” he said.
Olaroiu also reflected on the UAE’s exit from the World Cup playoff, after two narrow games against Iraq.
“Exiting the World Cup playoff was not a failure. We played very well against Iraq but luck was not on our side,” he said, adding that belief in his squad remains strong.
“My confidence in my players remains intact.”
Looking ahead to the Arab Cup campaign, Olaroiu said the opening fixture could set the tone in Group C.
“We want a strong start in the Arab Cup. The opening match is important for the rest of our journey,” he said.
