Jordan Makes Historic Return to FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup

In a thrilling upset, Jordan's under-18 basketball team has secured a spot in the 2025 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, ending a 30-year drought. The young Falcons achieved this feat by defeating defending champions Korea 73-69 in the semi-finals of the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024.

The intense match, held at Prince Hamza Hall, saw Jordan maintain a lead as large as 14 points, though Korea mounted a late comeback. Key performances came from Omar Salman, who scored 21 points, and Saif Saleh, who contributed significantly on both offense and defense.

This victory marks Jordan's first semi-final appearance in the continental tournament since 1995, when they last qualified for the U19 World Cup. The team will join China, New Zealand, and Australia as Asia's representatives in the upcoming global competition in Switzerland.

Jordan now faces Australia in the Asia Cup semi-finals, after the latter's dominant 89-41 win over Japan. The Jordanian team's success has ignited celebrations among home fans, who have long awaited this return to the international stage.

Source: FIBA.basketball