Aqaba take on Wihdat with eye on first ever title

AMMAN — The 2022 football season comes to a close on Sunday when Wihdat play Aqaba in the Jordan Cup final – the fourth of the season’s competitions.

In the semis — Wihdat ousted Ramtha 1-0, while Aqaba was impressive int their 3-0 win over Amman FC. On their way to the final stages of the event, the quarters saw Wihdat eliminate titleholders Faisali 6-5 on penalties; Aqaba ousted Hussein 1-0; Amman FC beat Mugheer Sarhan 2-1 and Ramtha beat Jazira 4-1.

Since the Cup started in 1980, there have been 39 past editions with Faisali a record 21-time champions. Wihdat won 10 times, Jazira, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice, while Arabi, That Ras and Ahli won once each. In 2020, the Jordan Cup was scrapped from the agenda for the first time since the competition kicked off in 1980.

In three of the 2022 competitions, Faisali were crowned league champs this week, one point ahead of Wihdat and Hussein who tied in overall points and finished second and third respectively. Faisali also won the season opening 35th Jordan Football Association (JFA) Shield title when they beat Ramtha who in turn upset Jordan Cup holders Faisali to win the 39th Jordan Super Cup. 

In the 2021 season, Ramtha won the League title for the third time in their history after playing 39 years without a league title. Faisali beat Salt to win the Jordan Cup; relatively unknown newcomers to the Pro League, Jalil, overcame Wihdat to win the 34th Jordan Football Association (JFA) Shield; and Wihdat beat one-time winners Jazira in the 38th Jordan Super Cup.

The 70th edition of the  newly concluded Pro League saw a close-fought contest at both ends of the standings with veteran Jazira, a three-time league champ, relegated alongside Sarih, while Ahli and Jalil were promoted from the first Division.

Wihdat were looking for their 18th  league title however Faisal’s 4-0 win over Jazira secured them their title leaving Wihdat and  Hussein trailing. They were followed by Shabab Urdun, Aqaba Ramtha, Ma;an, Salt , Sahab, Mugheer Sarhan, Sarih and Jazira 

Jazira will be the notable absentee next season. They won the league three times in their history, the last being in 1956. They also won the Super Cup in 1985, the Jordan Cup in 2017,  and the Shield twice.  Their relegation will be the fourth – 1977, 1992, 2003, 2022. The club was a frontrunner in the past five years and played in the AFC West Asia Zone final in 2018 and 2019.

Since the league kicked off in 1944 with only Faisali, Ahli, Urdun and Homenetmen competing, Faisali are now 35-time record league champs while Wihdat were champs 17 times since they joined in 1980. Although Faisali are the all-time record holders, Wihdat’s record is quite impressive. After four years in the Pro League, they won their first title in 1980 and have gone on to win the majority of titles since then. Ahli won eight times, Ramtha and Jazira three times, Shabab Urdun twice, Amman and Urdun clubs once.

Premier League record
(competition was not held in 1948, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1968, 1969 &  1998)

Faisali (35 times): 1944, 45, 59, 60-66, 70-74, 76, 77, 83, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90-93, 99, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2016/17, 2018/19, 2022

Wihdat (17 times): 1980, 87, 91, 94, 95, 96, 97, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017/18, 2020

Ahli (8 times): 1947, 49, 50, 51, 54, 75, 78, 79

Ramtha (3 times): 1981, 82, 2021

Jazira (3 times): 1952, 55, 56

Shabab Urdun (twice): 2005, 2012

Amman: 1984

Urdun: 1946

Jordan Cup champions record (Runner- up in parenthesis)

1980 Faisali (Baqa’a)

1981 Faisali (Ramtha)

1982 Wihdat (Ahli)

1983 Faisali (Ramtha)

1984 Jazira (Ahli)

1985 Wihdat (Faisali)

1986 Arabi (Jazira)

1987 Faisali (Hussein)

1988 Wihdat (Faisali)

1989 Faisali (Ramtha)

1990 Ramtha (Hussein)

1991 Ramtha (Wihdat)

1992 Faisali  (Wihdat)

1993 Faisali (Ramtha)

1994 Faisali (Ramtha)

1995 Faisali (Ramtha)

1996 Wihdat (Ramtha)

1997 Wihdat (Ramtha)

1998 Faisali (Wihdat)

1999 Faisali (Wihdat)

2000 Wihdat (Faisali)

2001 Faisali (Hussein)

2002 Faisali (Hussein)

2003  Faisali (Hussein)

2004  Faisali (Sh. Hussein)

2005  Shabab Urdun (Faisali)

2006  Shabab Urdun (Faisali)

2007 Faisali (Shabab Urdun)

2008  Wihdat (Shabab Urdun)

2009 Wihdat (Arabi)

2010 Wihdat (Manshieh)

2011 Faisali (Manshieh)

2012 That Ras (Ramtha)

2013 Wihdat (Baqa’a)

2014 Faisali (That Ras)

2015 Ahli (Shabab Urdun)

2016 Faisali (Jazira)

2017 Jazira (Shabab Urdun)

2018 Faisali (Ramtha)

2019/20 not held

2021 Faisali (Salt)