friendly

Asian football giants Australia’s upcoming friendly with Jordan was initially scheduled to be played in Amman.

The international ‌football friendly between Australia and Jordan next week has been moved to ⁠Doha, Football ⁠Australia (FA) said on Friday, after security concerns were raised over playing the fixture in Amman.

Late last month, Jordan launched air strikes in Syria in “retaliation” for the church attack that killed nine people and injured 40. Attacks ⁠like this are rare in the country, a relatively stable United States ally, but a security officer was killed and another wounded in a stabbing attack in Amman ‌this month.

Australia, who face Qatar in ⁠Doha later on Friday, had been set to travel to Jordan for Tuesday’s game. However, it was relocated after Professional Footballers Australia ⁠last week said Australia’s players had “overwhelmingly” expressed their view that the match should be moved.

“We are very grateful to the Jordan Football Association for accepting to relocate the match,” FA CEO Martin Kugeler said ‌in a statement.

“We know how much the Jordan team and fans were looking forward to welcoming the Socceroos to Amman.

“The dialogue with the JFA has been nothing but open, respectful and collaborative. They were wonderful hosts in Amman this week, and I thank them for their professionalism and flexibility. We ⁠look forward to welcoming Jordan to Australia in ⁠the future.”

Last week, Jordan also cancelled their international friendly against Indonesia at the request of the Indonesian FA.

Australia’s friendlies against Qatar and Jordan were intended to be part of their preparations for the Asian Cup, which was ‌postponed ‌until December next year following attacks on host nation Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi forces.

Spain sanctioned by FIFA after incidents at Espanyol’s stadium in Barcelona, which staged the friendly with Egypt.

Spain have ‌‌‌‌been fined $20,000 and ordered to partially close their stadium ⁠⁠⁠⁠for their ⁠⁠⁠⁠next friendly after supporters twice chanted Islamophobic slogans during the game against Egypt in March, FIFA said ⁠⁠⁠⁠in a statement.

The sanctions relate to incidents at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, home of LaLiga club Espanyol, ⁠⁠⁠⁠where some Spain fans chanted, “Who doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during a World Cup warm-up match which ended in a 0-0 draw.

After the second occurrence of the chant, the stadium announcer ‌‌‌‌issued a warning and the scoreboard displayed a message against discriminatory behaviour.

Spain winger Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, condemned the chants at the time, describing them as disrespectful and intolerable and calling those responsible “ignorant and racist”.

Spanish police launched an investigation the following day, while world governing ⁠⁠⁠⁠body FIFA later started disciplinary proceedings against ⁠⁠⁠⁠the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

It argued that the word ‘Muslim’ was “neither insulting nor pejorative”, adding that the fans’ conduct should be assessed under FIFA’s Article 17, ⁠⁠⁠⁠which covers political, ideological, religious or offensive messages, rather than Article 15, which deals ⁠⁠⁠⁠with discrimination and racist abuse.

However, FIFA’s disciplinary ⁠⁠⁠⁠committee rejected that argument, saying Article 15 does not require the explicit use of a slur and that a term can be discriminatory when ‌‌‌‌used in context as “an insult, taunt, or marker of inferiority”.

FIFA fined the RFEF and ordered the closure of at least ‌‌‌‌15% ‌‌‌‌of available seats for Spain’s next friendly.

Al Jazeera has contacted the RFEF for comment.