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Argentina and Jordan soccer fans fill the main concourse before a World Cup Group J soccer match between Jordan and Argentina on Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Arlington.<\/p>\n
El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
The 2026 World Cup’s<\/a> group stage is coming to a close.<\/p>\n For the second time in\u00a0this tournament, Argentina will take the field at Dallas Stadium. The squad will take on Jordan in Group J play at 9 p.m. While many fans will hope to catch a glimpse of superstar Lionel Messi, they may have to wait until the match’s second half.<\/p>\n Jordanian supporters turn the grounds outside Dallas Stadium in Arlington into a sea of red, black, white and green, waving flags and building energy ahead of kickoff.<\/p>\n Michael Cuviello\/Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters Friday that Messi would be on the bench to start, but he may sub in at some point in the second half<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Will Argentina close out the group stage with nine points? Could Jordan come away with a surprising result?<\/p>\n Follow along below as we provide live updates, match coverage, photos and more from Dallas Stadium:<\/p>\n Four-year-old Cash Ricas of Dallas waited to watch his favorite player,\u00a0Messi.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Wearing Argentina\u2019s sky-blue-and-white jersey with the No. 10 on the front, Ricas said he was enjoying his World Cup experience and eagerly nodded when asked if he liked Messi.<\/p>\n The young fan also sported a temporary tattoo of Messi\u2019s face and the No. 10 on his forearm, proudly showing it off as fans streamed toward the stadium ahead of kickoff.\u00a0<\/p>\n Four-year-old Cash Ricas of Dallas shows off Lionel Messi tattoo (temporary) outside Dallas Stadium prior to Argentina’s World Cup match against Jordan on June 27, 2026, in Arlington.<\/p>\n Maria Salette Ontiveros\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n \u2013 Maria Salette Ontiveros<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Outside Gate 2, Jordan supporters carved out their own celebration amid a sea of Argentina jerseys, singing and dancing to the sounds of drums and a saxophone ahead of kickoff.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Walid Ghawram, a Jordan fan from Boston, the trip to Dallas was about much more than the match.\u00a0<\/p>\n After spending an estimated $5,000 to $6,000 to follow his country\u2019s first World Cup appearance, Ghawram said the experience was a chance to reunite with fellow Jordanians and see Lionel Messi in person for the first time.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t been in Jordan in a while,\u201d he said. \u201cNow, I feel like Jordan came to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Jordan supporters gather with instruments outside Dallas Stadium before Jordan’s World Cup match against Argentina on June 27, 2026, in Arlington.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Fans from Argentina arrived very early to watch the Jordan vs Argentina game.<\/p>\n Outside the stadium, they created a festive atmosphere<\/a> five hours before the game with drums, chants, and cheers for their team.<\/p>\n Mario\u00a0Romero and his wife, Estefan\u00ed Trenti, traveled from the province of Santiago del Estero in Argentina. For them, coming to the World Cup is not only a dream, but also a promise they made to Romero\u2019s father before he passed away.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve all always been huge soccer fans, and I went with my dad to two World Cups\u2014in Russia and Brazil\u2014and when he got sick with cancer, he made me promise that I\u2019d come with my son to every World Cup,\u201d said\u00a0Romero, who doesn\u2019t have children yet but wants to carry on the family tradition.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Lupe and Marissa Castillo, along with Kurt Tucker, who is a Navy veteran, also came to support Argentina, having traveled from Corpus Christi to attend the game.<\/p>\n \u201cMy daughter was a soccer player and played in several countries, so this is a dream come true for us,\u201d said\u00a0Lupe Castillo, who was holding a sign cheering on Messi: \u201cLet\u2019s get loud!!\u201d<\/p>\n And from Jordan came\u00a0Nur Mustafa, a businessman who traveled with a group of people to support his team.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time my country has made it to a World Cup, and it\u2019s something I didn\u2019t want to miss,\u201d said\u00a0Mustafa. \u201cAnd if we beat Argentina today, it would be a huge deal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Nur Mustafa traveled from Jordan to North Texas to support his team in the World Cup. He’s pictured here outside Dallas Stadium prior to Jordan’s World Cup match vs. Argentina on June 27, 2026, in Arlington.<\/p>\n The Dallas Morning News Argentina supporters Kurt Tucker (left) Lupe Castillo (center) and Marissa Castillo of Corpus Christi are pictured outside Dallas Stadium prior to Argentina’s World Cup match vs. Jordan on June 27, 2026, in Arlington.<\/p>\n The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Fans from Jordan and Argentina filled the area outside the stadium hours before kickoff, with a line stretching nearly two blocks outside Gate 2. The crowd of fans gradually shrank as the start of the match approached.<\/p>\n Among them was 40-year-old\u00a0Jacov Ayoub of Jordan, who said he has supported Argentina since childhood while also cheering for his home country.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s something weird,\u201d\u00a0Ayoub said. \u201cBut I encourage our country to win.\u201d<\/p>\n Ayoub arrived in the United States just two weeks ago and said the trip has exceeded his expectations.<\/p>\n \u201cI like it so much,\u201d he said. \u201cThe country is nice. The hospitality and atmosphere are very good.\u201d<\/p>\n Aida\u00a0Ayyash, 53, of Jordan, and her friend, Cassie Diotalevi, 60, said they were excited to experience their first World Cup match together. The pair previously lived in Abu Dhabi and has spent years traveling, including across the U.S. in an RV.<\/p>\n \u201cArgentina will win,\u201d\u00a0Ayyash said, though she added that the experience itself was what mattered most. \u201cWe are very happy. We like Argentina anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Maria\u00a0Salette Ontiveros<\/p>\n We’re about three and a half hours\u00a0away from kickoff at Dallas Stadium. Keep up with us as fans and the players make their way into Dallas Stadium.<\/p>\n Where:<\/strong> Dallas Stadium in Arlington<\/p>\n TV\/streaming:<\/strong> FOX Sports, Telemundo; streaming live on Peacock<\/p>\n The Argentine squad is looking to stay perfect in group stage play. The team already has wins over Algeria and Austria, securing its spot in the knockout stage as leader of Group J. Argentina has already found success at Dallas Stadium, picking up a 2-0 win over Austria at the venue on Monday.<\/p>\n Lionel Messi is the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals. He’s also the tournament’s all-time leading scorer, with 18 World Cup\u00a0goals on his record going into Saturday.<\/p>\n Jordan is still looking for a positive result in its first World Cup appearance. The squad lost its first two matches in the tournament, falling against Austria and Algeria.<\/p>\n If Jordan wants to make an impact, it’ll have to strike quickly as Argentina will be without Messi to start Saturday’s encounter. The superstar could come into the match in the second half.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jordan vs Argentina weather: Evening match to grant respite from extreme heat<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Lionel Messi won’t start Argentina’s World Cup group finale in North Texas, but could sub in<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dallas doctor turns clinic into Messi shrine as World Cup fever grows<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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