Jordan will take on 2022 World Cup winners Argentina in their inaugural trip to the2026 World Cup.

Fellow debutantsCuraaocould argue they have the tougher baptism as they face Germany in their opening game, while Jordan can at least warm up in two othermatchesbefore they tussle with Argentina legendLionel Messiand his band of brothers.

Jordan who are nicknamed Al Nashama ("the Chivalrous Ones") will gallantly open theirGroup Jcampaign on 16 June against Austria at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara in California.

They play Algeria six days later at the same arena, before a trip to Dallas to joust with Argentina at the AT&T Stadium.

"Facing Messi is exceptional," said Jordan coach Jamal Sellami.

"Motivation is important for the players. And playing against Argentina, Austria and Algeria is a valuable experience," added the 55-year-old Moroccan. "At global tournaments, there are no major gaps and we hope to represent Jordanian football in the best possible way."

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More room at the table

Jordan was not a member of world football's governing body Fifa in the late 1920s when the Fifa president Jules Rimet was wooing the heads of national football associations to sign up their teams for a new world tournament.

Even once it became a Fifa member in 1958, for many years Jordan did not enter a national side and when Jordanian teams did start trying to reach the World Cup from 1986, they failed to make it through the Asian qualifying tournaments.

For this year's expanded 48-team tournament, the Asian confederation had eight places to allocate two more than for the 32-team competition inQatar in 2022.

Jordanstarted among 36 teams in the second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 tournament. The top two from the nine pools of four advanced to the third round as well as the group stages of the 2027 Asian Cup.

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'Eager to play'

In the 18-team third round, Jordan finished second behind South Korea in their six-team pool to advance to the World Cup.

"Its amazing to have reached the World Cup," Jordan defender Abdallah Nasib toldFifa's websiteduring last year's Arab Cup in Qatar.

"Our group is good and facing Argentina greatly motivates us as they are the defending champions. We are eager to play in the tournament."

Nasib, 32, who turns out for Al-Zawraa in Iraq, was among 13 defenders named in Sellami's 30-man provisional squad for the tournament, which starts on 11 June with a game between Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca inMexico City.

The Rennes striker Musa Al-Taamari was also on the list. The 29-year-old scored seven goals and provided 11 assists in 36 league and cup games for theFrench Ligue 1 outfit during the 2025/26 season.He is one of only two players based in Europe. The majority feature in Jordan and Iraq.

Before leaving for the tournament, King Abdullah II endowed Sellami and the World Cup squad with the Order of Independence, First Class one of Jordan's most prestigious honours for their historic achievement.

For the Chivalrous Ones, Messi and the rest will be adventure time.

Originally published on RFI