Lebanon begins its qualification journey for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the shadow of war hanging over it, as well as its Palestinian opponent.
Under normal circumstances, Lebanese fans would gather in Beirut to cheer their heroes on to North America and, perhaps, their first ever appearance on the world stage.
However, these are not normal times. The Cedars launch their campaign against opponents whose homeland faces incessant bombing by Israel, leading to the deaths of 11,500 Palestinians since the war began on October 7.
Amid fears the devastating conflict could spill over into Lebanon, the game has been moved from Beirut to Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
For the first time, the 2026 World Cup will feature at least eight Asian teams instead of the usual four. While Lebanon have qualified for the last 12 teams of the qualifying round in 2022, they would not need a huge improvement to knock on the doors of the big football stage.
“This match could not be played in Lebanon, so unfortunately it is better that it takes place where it is now,” Wael Chehayeb, a member of the executive committee of the Lebanese Football Federation, told Tel Aviv Tribune .
“Everyone hopes that the war will not spread here (in Lebanon), because they don’t have the means.”
Years of mismanagement and allegations of serious corruption by political leaders have seen Lebanon’s economy on the brink of collapse.
The massive Beirut port explosion in 2020 killed at least 218 people, injured 7,000 and left more than 300,000 people homeless. It also caused between $3.8 billion and $4.6 billion in property damage.
This symbolizes the general malaise in the country, where the currency has reached historic lows, power outages are the norm and inflation has hit hard, leading to public distrust of the government. .
“There is the economic crisis and, in addition to the war in the south, which could spread to other regions, people are afraid to see what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank,” Chehayeb said.
Chehayeb says that in such difficult times, football can be a source of unity and hope.
The country erupted in joyous celebrations when Lebanon beat mighty South Korea in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.
Getting to the World Cup, or even getting close, would be a monumental achievement for this country of nearly six million people.
“The Lebanese people are in a state of worry and uncertainty, so the victories of the national team could bring joy to many,” he said.
In recent months, under coach Nikola Jurcevic, the Croatian appointed last year, Lebanon has sought to move away from the pragmatic, defensive style of the 2022 qualifying campaign.
A 1-0 win over India in September was sandwiched between three narrow defeats to Thailand, Montenegro and the United Arab Emirates, but there are signs things could be improving.
The war in Gaza “changed everything”
As Palestinians continue to play while the war rages at home, Lebanese players are also worried.
“Our players are focused on the final qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as well as the 2027 Asian Cup, but that does not mean they are not affected (by the war),” Lebanese national team coach Rachid Nassar told Tel Aviv Tribune. .
Veteran midfielder Mohamad Haidar is among those most affected.
The 34-year-old is from the southern town of Tayr Debba, which is closer to the border with Israel than the capital, Beirut, and is therefore vulnerable to an Israeli invasion from the south.
Besides his obvious concern for his family and friends, Haidar is concerned about business interests in Beirut, which include playgrounds and an academy.
“There are concerns about the project and the source of our livelihood,” Haidar said, adding that the situation in Gaza has “changed everything.”
“It’s different and the anxiety is greater, but we will do everything we can to try to light up the darkness and make the Lebanese people happy,” he said.
“Lebanon and Palestine are equal”
Even if the country could use some sporting successes to boost morale, the whole of Lebanese football needs the national team to perform well.
As the general economy has collapsed, so has the sport’s financial fortunes and, nationally, there is little money available.
Local football officials told Tel Aviv Tribune that the Lebanese federation was able to financially support clubs after the pandemic thanks to revenue generated by the national team’s exploits and its long participation in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Lebanon have reached the final round, which means 10 very lucrative matches against heavyweights such as Iran and South Korea and additional prizes from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.
“It is obvious that the economic crisis affects all sports,” Rachid said.
“The Lebanese Football Federation does not receive any aid from the government.”
The situation is much worse now.
Lebanese Premier League matches are played in empty stadiums due to security concerns and the last season ended in controversy when a decisive match between Al-Ahed and Al-Ansar was interrupted for at least 15 minutes due to crowd disturbances.
So it’s no surprise that players are looking for alternative sources of income, as Haidar did.
However, the best way for the game and players to make money in the coming months is to go all the way to the World Cup.
In the second round which begins on Thursday, 36 teams were divided into nine groups of four. The top two from each group will advance to the final round where 18 teams will compete for eight automatic World Cup spots.
Lebanon and Palestine are grouped with Australia and Bangladesh.
Australia, ranked 27th in the world, are expected to lead and Bangladesh (183rd) could languish in last place, barring any major upsets.
This could leave Lebanon (ranked 104th) and Palestine (ranked 96th) competing for second place.
A victory in Sharjah would be a big step towards the final round.
“I think Lebanon and Palestine are pretty much equal,” Palestine head coach Makram Daboub told Tel Aviv Tribune.
“If we can win this game it will really improve our chances of going to the next stage, but we know Lebanon thinks the same thing. It will be a tough game for both teams.