Amman — Jordanian futsal expert Shamel Al-Daghestani said recent changes at the Jordan Football Association, including changes to its general secretariat, present an opportunity to review several areas in need of development and reactivation, foremost among them futsal, whose activities have been suspended in recent years.
اضافة اعلان
Al-Daghestani stressed that calls to revive futsal should not be limited to restarting the league, but should be part of a comprehensive and sustainable project that restores the sport’s presence domestically while laying the groundwork for rebuilding the national team on clear technical and administrative foundations.
“The recent changes at the association represent an opportunity to review many files and assess them within a broader vision for developing Jordanian football. Futsal is certainly one of the areas that deserves study and reconsideration,” Al-Daghestani told Al-Ghad.
He added that if a decision is made to resume futsal activities, the priority should not simply be to bring back the league, but to establish a multi-year technical and administrative plan covering domestic competitions, coach and referee development, expanding the sport’s player base and giving greater attention to youth categories, ultimately leading to the formation of a national team based on clear objectives and a defined program.
Regarding the responsibility of the previous general secretariat for the suspension of futsal activities, Al-Daghestani said he did not believe it would be fair to place the blame on any individual or particular body, noting that such decisions are usually linked to circumstances, priorities and institutional decisions at a particular stage.
At the same time, he stressed the importance of recognizing the significant and historic achievements made by Jordanian football in recent years, noting that the previous general secretariat was part of the system that contributed to those accomplishments.
Al-Daghestani said any assessment should be objective, preserving the positive aspects and achievements while reviewing areas that require development or reactivation, including futsal.
He said any return of futsal should be gradual and carefully planned, beginning with the establishment of a regular and stable league, expanding the pool of players and clubs, and developing technical and refereeing personnel before moving toward building a national team whose players would be selected and monitored through domestic competitions.
Al-Daghestani also highlighted the importance of establishing a clear preparation program for the national team, including gradual participation in international competitions, with the aim of restoring Jordan’s presence and competing at the Arab and Asian levels.
He stressed that Jordan has previous experience, expertise and a foundation on which to build and therefore does not need to start from scratch.
Al-Daghestani concluded by saying that this principle should not apply to futsal alone. He argued that the next phase requires building on the achievements already made, reviewing Jordan’s football system across all its components, and setting clear objectives and priorities for each sector through measurable and sustainable technical and administrative plans.
The Jordanian national futsal team has continued to remain absent from official competitions, with its last appearance coming in 2018 at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup in Chinese Taipei. Jordan exited in the group stage and has not returned to the tournament since.
The national team has participated in three previous editions of the West Asian Futsal Championship. Jordan’s first appearance came in 2007, when the futsal “Nashama” finished fourth in the tournament held in Iran. Jordan hosted the second edition in 2009, with the national team finishing runners-up to Iraq.
Jordan took part in the third edition in Iran in 2012 and again finished second, behind Iran. The team missed the fourth and most recent edition, held in Kuwait in 2022.
Jordan made its AFC Asian Cup debut in 2016, when it was drawn in Group B alongside Iran, Iraq and China. The team then participated in the 2018 edition in Group D alongside Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan and Thailand, losing all of its matches under national coach Salah Abu Jaafar.
Futsal subsequently disappeared from the domestic scene, primarily because of financial constraints, along with other technical factors.
Resource: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Muhannad Jweiles
