Jordan vs Argentina prediction, tips and odds | World Cup 2026

Argentina close out their Group J campaign in the early hours of Sunday morning, facing Jordan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (3:00am BST, 9:00pm local time). Lionel Scaloni's side have already sealed top spot with two wins from two, five goals from Lionel Messi and none conceded. The question now is how many players Scaloni will choose to rest before the knockout rounds.

Jordan, meanwhile, are already eliminated after defeats to Austria (1-3) and Algeria (1-2), but the nation's first ever World Cup campaign is far from over in emotional terms. Ali Olwan scored Jordan's first World Cup goal against Austria, Nizar Al-Rashdan added a second against Algeria, and facing the reigning world champions represents the grandest possible finale to a historic tournament debut. Those looking for the latest World Cup betting sites will find plenty of interest in a fixture where the main question is not who wins, but by how many.

Jordan vs Argentina form and preview

Argentina head into this match off the back of nine consecutive victories. Ahead of the World Cup, Scaloni's side dispatched Venezuela (1-0), Puerto Rico (6-0), Angola (2-0), Mauritania (2-1), Zambia (5-0), Honduras (2-0) and Iceland (3-0), accumulating 23 goals scored and just one conceded.

The World Cup itself has been even more emphatic. Messi opened the campaign with a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium, equalling Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals. Against Austria at AT&T Stadium, he missed a penalty in the ninth minute but responded with two goals (38th and 95th minutes), taking his all-time World Cup total to 18, a record that now stands alone.

Defensively, Argentina have been flawless. Emiliano Martinez was barely tested across both matches. Algeria failed to trouble the Argentine goal in the opener, while Austria managed just a single shot on target through a Marcel Sabitzer free kick.

With qualification confirmed, the key question is rotation. Messi turned 39 on 24 June and has played the full 90 minutes in both group matches. Resting him ahead of the last 16 makes sporting sense in what is almost certainly his final World Cup. bet365 price Argentina as overwhelming favourites at 1.18 for the full-time result, reflecting the enormous gulf in quality between the sides. For a full breakdown of their football markets, see our bet365 review.

The depth of Argentina's squad means Scaloni can change more than half the starting eleven without a significant drop in quality. Players such as Giovani Lo Celso, Nico Paz, Valentin Barco and Jose Manuel Lopez are ready to step in, maintaining intensity and tactical identity regardless of which names appear on the teamsheet.

Jordan are in the opposite position: already eliminated without any points, but far from disgraced. Against Austria in San Francisco, Jamal Sellami's side equalised through Ali Olwan on 50 minutes before conceding late, with a Yazan Al-Arab own goal on 76 minutes and a Marko Arnautovic penalty in the 12th minute of added time.

Against Algeria, the pattern repeated. Al-Rashdan gave Jordan the lead in the 36th minute with a deflected strike from the edge of the area, but two goals from set pieces turned the match. Benbouali headed in from a corner in the 69th minute and Gouiri converted another set-piece delivery in the 82nd minute. Three of Jordan's five goals conceded in the tournament have come from corners, a vulnerability that Argentina are well equipped to exploit.

Set-piece defending will be the critical factor once again. Argentina possess dominant aerial threats in Nicolas Otamendi, who has 134 caps, and Marcos Senesi. Corners and free kicks could prove decisive.

Despite elimination, motivation is not lacking. Facing Messi and the reigning champions is a moment that Jordanian football will remember for decades. Musa Al-Taamari, who plays for Rennes in Ligue 1 and registered 18 goal contributions in all competitions (7 goals, 11 assists) in the 2025/26 season, is the only player in the squad competing in a top European league.

For those new to the World Cup betting landscape, the range of new betting sites available this summer offers competitive odds across a variety of markets for fixtures like this one.

Team news: Jordan vs Argentina

Jordan

Jordan's most significant absence throughout this World Cup has been Yazan Al-Naimat, who contributed eight goals and five assists during qualifying but was ruled out of the tournament with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. His absence has placed the goalscoring burden squarely on Olwan, who has responded with the nation's first ever World Cup goal.

There are no fresh injury concerns within the squad. The group that faced Algeria is fully available, though Sellami may look to give minutes to players who have featured less, such as Mohammad Abu Zrayq or the 20-year-old Odeh Al-Fakhouri, in what is the final match of a historic campaign.

Husam Abu Dahab and Mohannad Abu Taha collected yellow cards in the previous two matches, but with Jordan already eliminated from the group stage, the disciplinary situation carries no practical consequences.

Argentina

Argentina's confirmed absentee is Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur, who was ruled out through injury. Senesi has started alongside Otamendi in both group matches and has performed solidly in Romero's absence.

With qualification already secured, Scaloni has considerable scope for rotation. Rodrigo De Paul and Alexis Mac Allister, who started both previous fixtures, are candidates for the bench ahead of the last-16 tie. Leandro Paredes and Exequiel Palacios are expected to take the central midfield positions, while Julian Alvarez and Lopez should lead the attack. If you are considering a wager on this fixture, the bet365 bonus code may be worth exploring for new customers.

Jordan vs Argentina injuries and predicted XIs

Predicted Jordan XI (3-4-2-1): Y Abulaila; H Abu Dahab, A Nasib, Y Al-Arab; M Abu Taha, N Al-Rashdan, N Al-Rawabdeh, E Haddad; M Al-Mardi, A Olwan; M Al-Taamari. Manager: Jamal Sellami.

Predicted Argentina XI (4-2-2-2): E Martinez; G Montiel, N Otamendi, M Senesi, N Tagliafico; L Paredes, E Palacios; G Simeone, N Gonzalez; J Alvarez, J Lopez. Manager: Lionel Scaloni.

Head-to-head: Jordan vs Argentina

Jordan and Argentina have never met in international football. There are no previous friendlies, qualifiers or tournament fixtures between the two nations. The match at AT&T Stadium will be the first encounter in history.

The absence of any head-to-head record makes direct comparison impossible. The gap in the FIFA world rankings tells its own story: Argentina sit first, Jordan 72nd. Argentina are one of the most experienced World Cup nations in history, while Jordan are appearing in the tournament for the very first time.

The only meaningful point of comparison is their respective Group J campaigns. Argentina have won both matches without conceding, while Jordan have lost both but managed to score in each, demonstrating a degree of attacking capability even against superior opponents.

Our Jordan vs Argentina prediction and tips