Socceroos confirm Qatar and Jordan friendlies despite Middle East security risks
The Socceroos will play scheduled friendlies in Qatar and Jordan despite Middle East violence.
The Socceroos are pushing ahead with two warm-up matches before the Asian Cup. The Middle East is growing more volatile.
A Houthi missile strike hit Riyadh airport this month. A militant attack killed nine people at a church in Jordan last week.
Football Australia says the games will proceed as planned. The team's experienced security team is actively monitoring developments and providing regular updates to Tony Popovic, who names his squad next week.
Both matches are vital preparation for the Asian Cup, though that tournament itself is now in doubt. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed whether the Cup will start in January as planned.
- Nine people killed last week
- Jordan church attack
- Houthi missile hit this month
- Riyadh airport strike
- Could be delayed to 2028
- Asian Cup postponement option
Why it mattersThe matches are Australia's last chance to prepare for the Asian Cup, but the security situation could yet force cancellation or relocation of the whole tournament.
AustraliaIf the January Asian Cup is delayed by 12 months due to security concerns, it would reshape Australian football's calendar and preparation timelines for the next two years.
Corroborated byabc.net.au
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 4 h ago
