Late-Night Bay Area Drama for Group J’s Round of 16 Race
Jordan vs Algeria at Levi’s Stadium on June 22 closes Group J Matchday 2 late-night. Mahrez meets Tamari. Tactics, lineups, predictions.
- June 22, 2026 Monday
- Levi’s Stadium
- Kick-Off 11:00 PM
Two squads at different stages of their World Cup dreams meet at midnight.
Jordan are at their first ever World Cup. Algeria are at their first since 2014. Both squads enter Matchday 2 with the realization that the Round of 16 path likely runs through this fixture. With Argentina favored to top Group J, the second qualification spot is the realistic target for the other three teams.
The match in Santa Clara on Monday night/Tuesday morning likely decides who survives.
Everything you need at kickoff
- Date
- Mon, June 22, 2026 Tue, June 23 ET early hours
- Kickoff (USA)
- 11:00 p.m. ET 8:00 p.m. PT
- Venue
- Levi's Stadium Santa Clara, California
- Group
- Group J ARG · ALG · AUT · JOR
- Stage
- Matchday 2 Group Stage
- Capacity
- ~68,500
- Weather
- Pleasant evenings Bay Area, late June
Must-win for Algeria, history-making for Jordan
For Algeria, this is essentially must-win. For Jordan, this is the chance to write history.
A late-night Bay Area kickoff — West Coast prime-time.
Riyad Mahrez’s tournament tour
Algeria’s marquee creator.
Mousa Tamari’s emergence
Jordan’s creative star.
Vladimir Petković’s tactical project
Algeria’s manager refines identity.
Hussein Ammouta’s Jordan project
Restoring belief.
A late-night Bay Area kickoff
West Coast prime-time.
Tale of the tape
Jordan’s Matchday 1 against Austria revealed their tournament readiness.
Algeria’s Matchday 1 against Argentina tested them against tournament-elite opposition.
A 4-2-3-1 around Tamari’s creative freedom.
A 4-3-3 prioritizing defensive organization, set-piece efficiency and counter-attacking via Mahrez.
Direct corners.
Mahrez deliveries.
- Mousa Tamari — creator.
- Yazeed Abulaila — goalkeeper.
- Defensive discipline.
- Set-piece scoring threat.
- Riyad Mahrez — creator and captain.
- Ismaël Bennacer — midfielder.
- Aïssa Mandi — center back.
- Defensive structure.
- Sustained possession.
- World Cup inexperience.
- Squad pace.
- Sustained possession against organized midfields.
- Squad pace at center-back.
- Striker output.
Algeria’s individual quality vs Jordan’s structural discipline
Algeria’s individual quality vs Jordan’s structural discipline.
Key questions
Can Jordan trap Mahrez?
Multiple players marking would force Algeria to create elsewhere.
Can Tamari unlock Algeria’s defensive structure?
Most likely Jordanian goal.
Who wins the set-piece battle?
Decisive.
The names that decide it
Creative star.
Veteran.
Anchor.
Tactical glue.
Goal-scorer.
Captain.
Press-resistant.
Veteran.
Creator.
Goal-scorer.
Rising Stars & Breakout Candidates
Jordan: European-based talents emerging.
Algeria: Ligue 1 emerging midfielders.
World Cup classics often produced in late windows
Limited shared history
Jordan and Algeria have not previously met often.
Jordan’s first World Cup
Historic.
Algeria’s 2014 Round of 16
Their most recent World Cup high.
Levi’s Stadium tournament prominence
Multiple high-profile matches.
A late-night kickoff tradition
World Cup classics often produced in late windows.
A substantial supporter presence
The Bay Area’s Middle Eastern community will produce a substantial supporter presence.
Fantasy & Betting Angle — informational only
Mahrez key contribution: elite fantasy.
Tamari assist: decent value.
Both teams to score: plausible.
A wildcard: Algerian set-piece goal.
Play responsibly.
Best guess at kickoff
Lineups based on Matchday 1 performances. Late changes possible.
Mousa Tamari scores Jordan’s first ever World Cup goal in an open-play sequence.
The Levant celebrates an immortal moment.
One Player Nobody Is Talking About
Ismaël Bennacer. Algeria’s midfielder will absorb Jordanian set-piece pressure and start counter-attacks.
A tense match. Mahrez scores from a free kick. Tamari equalizes through a counter. Both squads compete for the win but neither produces the decisive moment. Man of the match: Mousa Tamari.
Late-night Bay Area football
Late-night Bay Area football. Group J’s Round of 16 race tightens. Two squads with stories that the World Cup celebrates.
The football should be tactical.
