Prince Ali commends level of Jordanian football

AMMAN — HRH Prince Ali, president of the Jordan Football Association and also president of the West Asia Federation, on Thursday stressed his keenness on improving Jordanian football and defending the rights of the Kingdom’s clubs.

During an interview on an MBC channel, the prince said that his candidacy to the presidency of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was “aimed at improving the status of the game and not at seeking a renowned position”.

He described the penalties against Jordanian Faisali team during the Arab Clubs Championship as “strange”, stressing that the “players contested the referee’s injustice and were punished as a result”, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The prince expressed hope to seeing the issue resolved without it being referred to judicial measures.

Regarding the Union of Arab Football Associations, Prince Ali said he was among the first people who supported it and he is still working on bringing together teams from West Asia and North Africa.

He praised the level reached by the Jordanian women football team, expressing hope that they will qualify to the Women’s World Cup.

The prince also commended the Syrian men’s national team for competing to qualify for the World Cup 2018 before it was defeated by Australia.

Asked about his favourite sport moment, Prince Ali said it was when Jordan won the 1999’s Al Hussein Championship, adding that his favourite football teams are Arsenal and Argentina.