Jubilation over Jordan's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign turned tragic in Amman on Tuesday after a stampede during a public screening of the team's match against Algeria left one person dead and eight others injured, according to reports.
The incident took place at Hashemite Square in central Amman, where large crowds had gathered to watch Jordan's landmark World Cup appearance, the Jordan News Agency reported, citing the country's Public Security Directorate.
The gathering turned chaotic as heavy congestion and sudden crowd movement triggered a crush among fans. Emergency teams rushed nine injured spectators to hospitals.
One of them later succumbed to injuries, while the remaining victims suffered minor to moderate injuries, the PSD said. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the death.
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The tragedy came as Jordan participated in its first-ever FIFA World Cup, marking a landmark moment for the national team and its supporters.
The match itself ended with Algeria defeating Jordan 2-1, but the focus shifted to the safety concerns surrounding large public gatherings as authorities reviewed the circumstances that led to the stampede.
Jordan's qualification had sparked widespread celebrations across the country earlier, with fans gathering in public spaces to support the team.
The 2026 edition of the tournament is being hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with an expanded format featuring 48 teams, the largest ever FIFA World Cup. As many as 104 matches will be played at FIFA World Cup 2026, including 78 in the US, and 13 each in Mexico and Canada. The FIFA World Cup will have its first-ever half-time show in the final.
A total of 1,248 footballers from 449 clubs across 71 countries have been selected for the tournament. The FIFA World Cup 2026 also marked a historic milestone for four nations Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan had their maiden appearances at football's biggest tournament.
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