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Lebanon national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Lebanon women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Lebanon
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) رجال الأرز
(The Cedars)
Association Lebanese Football Association
(الاتحاد اللبناني لكرة القدم)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach Miodrag Radulović
Captain Mohamad Haidar
Most caps Hassan Maatouk (123)
Top scorer Hassan Maatouk (26)
Home stadium Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
FIFA code LBN
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current NR (7 February 2019)
Highest 77 (September 2018)
Lowest 178 (April–May 2011)
Elo ranking
Current 96 Decrease 4 (3 March 2019)
Highest 46 (27 April 1940)
Lowest 164 (28 July 2011)
First international
 Mandatory Palestine 5–1 Lebanon 
(Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine; 27 April 1940)
Biggest win
 Lebanon 11–1 Philippines 
(Tokyo, Japan; 28 September 1967)
Biggest defeat
 Iraq 8–0 Lebanon 
(Baghdad, Iraq; 25 November 1959)
 Qatar 8–0 Lebanon 
(Doha, Qatar; 27 March 1985)
Asian Cup
Appearances 3 (first in 2000)
Best result Group stage (2000, 2019, 2023)
Arab Cup
Appearances 8 (first in 1963)
Best result Third place (1963)
WAFF Championship
Appearances 7 (first in 2000)
Best result Group stage (7 times)
Medal record
Men's football
Arab Cup
Bronze 1963 Lebanon
Arab Games
Bronze 1957 Beirut
Bronze 1997 Beirut
Mediterranean Games
Bronze 1959 Beirut

The Lebanon national football team represents Lebanon in association football. It is controlled by the Lebanese Football Association (LFA). The team is part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA.

Lebanon has not yet played in the FIFA World Cup. However, they have qualified three times for the AFC Asian Cup. Their first time was in 2000, when Lebanon hosted the event. The team's main stadium is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut. They also play in other places, like the Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon.

In 1935, Lebanon played its first match against a Romanian team, but FIFA did not officially recognize it. Their first FIFA-recognized game was in 1940 against Mandatory Palestine. During the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Lebanon reached the final round for the first time. This happened after a 2–1 win against South Korea in 2011. But they did not qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

At the 2019 Asian Cup, Lebanon almost made it to the knockout stages. They lost a tiebreaker to Vietnam because of the fair play rule. This meant they were knocked out in the group stage. Lebanon also plays in the Arab Cup, the WAFF Championship, and the Arab Games. As hosts, they finished third in the Arab Cup once and in the Arab Games twice.

The Lebanese team is called "the Cedars" (Arabic: رجال الأرز). This name comes from the cedar tree, which is Lebanon's national symbol. Their home uniform is mostly red, and their away uniform is white. These colors are from the national flag. Lebanon's FIFA ranking improved a lot from 2016 to 2018. They jumped 66 spots and reached their highest rank ever, 77th, in September 2018. This was after a 16-game unbeaten streak.

Team History

Early Days and First Games (1933–1957)

Lebanon was one of the first countries in the Middle East to create a football organization. On March 22, 1933, 13 football clubs met in Beirut to form the Lebanese Football Association (LFA). The LFA joined FIFA in 1936.

Lebanon played its first official FIFA game on April 27, 1940. They lost 5–1 to Mandatory Palestine. Camille Cordahi scored Lebanon's first official international goal. This happened in the second half, with help from Muhieddine Jaroudi.

Camille Cordahi v Mandatory Palestine, 1940
Lebanese forward Camille Cordahi during Lebanon's first official FIFA match in 1940.

In the early 1950s, Lebanon had coaches like Vinzenz Dittrich and Ljubiša Broćić. They played five official games between 1953 and 1956. One notable game was against Hungary in 1956, which Lebanon lost 4–1. Famous player Ferenc Puskás scored two goals for Hungary.

Regional Competitions and Growth (1957–1988)

From October 19 to 27, 1957, Lebanon hosted the Arab Games. They finished in third place. This was a good achievement for the team.

Joseph Nalbandian became the national team coach in 1958. He was one of Lebanon's most successful coaches. Under him, Lebanon hosted the 1959 Mediterranean Games.

Lebanon national football team 1966
Lebanon at the 1966 Arab Cup

Lebanon also hosted the first Arab Cup in 1963. They finished third in this tournament. In the 1966 edition, Lebanon reached the semi-finals. They ended up in fourth place.

Lebanon joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1964. Their first Asian Cup qualifying campaign was in 1971. They were eliminated in the semi-finals.

Even during the civil war, Lebanon played in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. They finished third in their group and were eliminated. Lebanon also started in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. However, they withdrew after four matches, and their results were canceled.

After the War and Asian Cup Hosting (1993–2004)

Devastated Stadium - 13371618444
The destroyed Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium during the Lebanese Civil War in 1982.

In 1993, Lebanon played in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers. This was their first full qualification campaign after the civil war. They finished third in their group and were eliminated.

Under Terry Yorath, their first foreign coach after the war, Lebanon tried to qualify for the 1996 Asian Cup. They won two games but were eliminated by a small difference in points. Yorath helped Lebanon improve their FIFA World Ranking.

Soccer Field Transparant.svg

Sakr
Jadir
Mohamad
Marcílio
F. Antar
Taha (C)
Reda
R. Antar
Fernandes
Gilberto
Newton
Lebanon's starting line-up against Iran at the 2000 Asian Cup

Lebanon hosted the 2000 Asian Cup. They were in Group A with Iran, Iraq, and Thailand. In their first game, they lost 4–0 to Iran. In the second match against Iraq, Lebanon scored their first goal in the competition. Abbas Chahrour scored with a long shot. Moussa Hojeij scored another goal, and the game ended in a 2–2 draw. Lebanon drew 1–1 with Thailand in their last group game. They finished last in the group with two points.

Under Theo Bücker, Lebanon played in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. They finished second in their group, scoring 26 goals in six games.

World Cup Qualification and Challenges (2006–2014)

In 2006, Lebanon withdrew from the 2007 Asian Cup qualifiers. This was due to the 2006 Lebanon War, which made it hard for players to stay in their homes.

In the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Lebanon beat India 6–3 over two games. This sent them to the third round. However, they finished last in their group with no points.

Iran v Lebanon, 11 June 2013 05
Lebanon against Iran at the 2014 World Cup qualification

In 2011, Lebanon reached the third round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. They were grouped with South Korea, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. On November 15, Lebanon hosted South Korea. Ali Al Saadi scored early, and Abbas Ali Atwi scored a penalty. Lebanon won 2–1. This historic win qualified them for the fourth (and final) round of World Cup qualifiers for the first time.

In the fourth round, Lebanon was in Group A with South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Qatar. On September 11, 2012, Roda Antar scored a header against Iran. Lebanon won 1–0, which was important for their World Cup hopes. The team faced some challenges that affected player performance. Lebanon then lost to Uzbekistan and drew with South Korea, which eliminated them from the World Cup.

Asian Cup Qualification and Unbeaten Streak (2015–2019)

Miodrag Radulović Lebanon, 2019 AFC Asian Cup
Radulović coached Lebanon between 2015 and 2019.

Miodrag Radulović became the new coach in 2015. He led Lebanon in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. They finished second in their group. This meant they qualified for the 2019 Asian Cup qualification third round.

Lebanon was in Group B for the Asian Cup with North Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. They won five games and drew one, finishing first in their group. This qualified them for the 2019 Asian Cup for the first time through qualification. Hassan Maatouk, the team captain, scored five goals and was very important to this success.

Radulović led Lebanon to a 16-game unbeaten streak from March 2016 to September 2018. During this time, they won eight games and drew eight. In September 2018, Lebanon reached their best-ever FIFA ranking, 77th.

Lebanon vs Saudi Arabi 20191201 08
Lebanon during the 2019 Asian Cup group stage match against Saudi Arabia

At the 2019 Asian Cup, Lebanon had many players born outside Lebanon. They lost their first game 2–0 to Qatar. A goal by Ali Hamam was disallowed, which was controversial. They then lost 2–0 to Saudi Arabia.

Soccer Field Transparant.svg

Khalil
Mansour
Oumari
A. Melki
Ismail
F. Melki
Matar
Ayass
M. Haidar
El-Helwe
Lebanon's starting line-up against North Korea at the 2019 Asian Cup

In their final group game against North Korea, Lebanon needed to win by four goals. They won 4–1, with two goals from Hilal El-Helwe. This was Lebanon's first-ever Asian Cup win. However, they were eliminated because they had more yellow cards than Vietnam. This is part of the fair play rule.

Recent Years and 2023 Asian Cup (2020–2024)

Iran v Lebanon, 29 March 2022 (Fars) 14
Lebanon against Iran at the 2022 World Cup qualification

Former captain Jamal Taha became head coach in 2020. North Korea withdrew from the World Cup qualifiers in May 2021. This helped Lebanon, as their previous results against North Korea were canceled. Lebanon qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup for the third time. They also reached the final round of 2022 World Cup qualification for the second time.

Under coach Ivan Hašek, Lebanon played in the final round of World Cup qualification. They were in Group A with Iran, South Korea, UAE, Iraq, and Syria. They earned five points in their first four away games. This included a 3–2 win against Syria. The team was seen as an "early surprise." However, they only earned one more point in their remaining six games. They finished last in their group. A docuseries called Captains on FIFA and Netflix followed Lebanon's journey.

Qatar v Lebanon (16)
Lebanon during the 2023 Asian Cup group stage match against Qatar

Radulović was re-appointed coach for the 2023 Asian Cup in January 2024. Lebanon was in Group A with hosts Qatar, China, and Tajikistan. They played the opening game against Qatar in front of 82,490 fans. Qatar won 3–0. Lebanon then drew 0–0 with China. In their final game against Tajikistan, Lebanon needed a win. Bassel Jradi scored early in the second half. But Kassem El Zein received a red card, leaving Lebanon with 10 men. Tajikistan scored twice late in the game, knocking Lebanon out.

Lebanon played in the second round of qualification for the 2026 World Cup. They did not qualify for the next round. However, their third-place finish sent them to the final round of qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup. These World Cup qualifiers were the last games for captain Hassan Maatouk. He retired as the team's all-time top goalscorer and most-capped player. He scored 26 goals in 123 games.

Team Look

Nickname

Lebanon is known as "the Cedars" (Arabic: رجال الأرز). This is because the cedar tree is the country's national symbol.

Kits

Lebanon's kit over the years
Camille Cordahi wearing a white Lebanese shirt with black shorts
1940
Joseph Abou Mrad wearing a red Lebanese jersey with a green cedar in the center inside a white horizontal band
1966
Felix Michel Melki wearing a red Lebanon shirt with white collar and details
2019

The national team usually wears red as their main color and white as their second color. These colors come from the national flag of Lebanon. Green is sometimes used for the goalkeeper's uniform. At home, Lebanon typically wears a red shirt, shorts, and socks with white details. The away kit is white with red details.

In their first unofficial match in 1935, Lebanon wore white shirts with the Lebanese cedar. They had black shorts and white socks. In 1940, for their first FIFA-approved game, they wore a white kit with a black collar.

For the 2000 Asian Cup, Lebanon wore a red Adidas shirt with white details. In the 2019 campaign, they wore a red kit made by Capelli Sport. The Lebanese cedar symbol was on the shirt. Since 2023, Kelme has made the team's kits.

Home Stadium

Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium 2018 - Beirut derby (Nejmeh fans)
The Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in 2018

The Lebanese national team plays its home games in different stadiums. The main one is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. It was built in 1957 and is the country's largest stadium. It has 49,500 seats. The first game played there was in 1957, when Lebanon won 1–0. This stadium hosted the 2000 Asian Cup. In 2011, over 40,000 fans watched Lebanon beat South Korea 2–1 there. This win helped Lebanon reach the final round of World Cup qualification for the first time.

The team also plays in other stadiums. The Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon holds 22,600 people. It was also used for the 2000 Asian Cup. Other stadiums include the Tripoli Municipal Stadium and the Beirut Municipal Stadium.

Media

FIFA and Netflix released Captains in 2022. It is a sports docuseries that follows six national team captains. They were trying to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. Hassan Maatouk represented Lebanon in the first season.

Results and Upcoming Games

See also: Lebanon national football team results and Lebanon national football team records and statistics

As of November 19, 2024, the Lebanon national team has played 398 official matches. They have won 112, drawn 104, and lost 182 games. They have scored 469 goals and let in 602 goals. Lebanon's biggest win was 11–1 against the Philippines in 1967. Their longest winning streak is 8 wins. Their longest unbeaten streak is 16 official matches.

Here are the results from the last 12 months and any planned future games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2023

2024

Players

See also: List of Lebanon international footballers

Current Squad

The following 26 players were called up for the friendly matches against Thailand and Myanmar in November 2024.

Information correct as of November 19, 2024
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Mehdi Khalil (1991-09-19) 19 September 1991 (age 33) 58 0 Lebanon Ahed
21 1GK Mostafa Matar (1995-09-10) 10 September 1995 (age 29) 31 0 Lebanon Safa
23 1GK Ali Sabeh (1994-06-24) 24 June 1994 (age 31) 9 0 Lebanon Nejmeh
3 2DF Khalil Khamis (1995-01-12) 12 January 1995 (age 30) 12 0 Lebanon Safa
4 2DF Mohammad Safwan (2003-03-10) 10 March 2003 (age 22) 1 0 Lebanon Nejmeh
5 2DF Nassar Nassar (1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 (age 33) 27 0 Lebanon Ansar
6 2DF Hussein Zein (1995-01-27) 27 January 1995 (age 30) 38 0 Lebanon Safa
18 2DF Kassem El Zein (1990-12-02) 2 December 1990 (age 34) 49 1 Lebanon Nejmeh
2DF Mohammad El Hayek (2000-02-19) 19 February 2000 (age 25) 12 0 Lebanon Safa
2 3MF Hassan Kourani (1995-01-22) 22 January 1995 (age 30) 9 1 Lebanon Nejmeh
8 3MF Majed Osman (1994-06-09) 9 June 1994 (age 31) 10 1 Indonesia Persik Kediri
10 3MF Mohamad Haidar (captain) (1989-11-08) 8 November 1989 (age 35) 98 5 Lebanon Ahed
12 3MF Hasan Srour (2001-12-18) 18 December 2001 (age 23) 19 0 Iraq Al-Zawraa
15 3MF Jihad Ayoub (1995-03-30) 30 March 1995 (age 30) 19 1 Lebanon Safa
16 3MF Ahmad Kheir El Dine (1995-07-07) 7 July 1995 (age 29) 2 0 Lebanon Ansar
19 3MF Daniel Kuri (1999-01-22) 22 January 1999 (age 26) 13 0 Greece Panetolikos
20 3MF Rabih Ataya (1989-07-16) 16 July 1989 (age 35) 54 5 Lebanon Nejmeh
3MF Walid Shour (1996-06-10) 10 June 1996 (age 29) 29 0 Australia Brisbane Roar
3MF Bassel Jradi (1993-07-06) 6 July 1993 (age 32) 26 3 Thailand Bangkok United
7 4FW Karim Darwich (1998-11-02) 2 November 1998 (age 26) 29 3 Iraq Duhok
9 4FW Omar Chaaban (1994-01-03) 3 January 1994 (age 31) 21 1 England AFC Wimbledon
11 4FW Samy Merheg (2006-12-06) 6 December 2006 (age 18) 2 2 Colombia Deportivo Pereira
13 4FW Malek Fakhro (1997-12-14) 14 December 1997 (age 27) 2 1 Germany MSV Duisburg
14 4FW Gabriel Bitar (1998-08-23) 23 August 1998 (age 26) 11 0 Canada Vancouver FC
17 4FW Husseyn Chakroun (2004-11-10) 10 November 2004 (age 20) 2 0 Germany Hannover 96
22 4FW Zein Farran (1999-07-21) 21 July 1999 (age 25) 10 0 Lebanon Ahed

Recent Call-ups

These players were part of the national team in the last 12 months but are not in the current squad.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Antoine Al Douaihy (1999-03-18) 18 March 1999 (age 26) 1 0 Lebanon Nejmeh v.  Jordan; 28 December 2023 PRE
DF George Felix Melki (1994-07-23) 23 July 1994 (age 30) 33 1 Lebanon Safa 2024 Merdeka Tournament
DF Mohamad Baker El Housseini (2002-12-18) 18 December 2002 (age 22) 2 0 Bahrain Al-Najma 2024 Merdeka Tournament
DF Maher Sabra (1992-01-14) 14 January 1992 (age 33) 23 1 Lebanon Nejmeh v.  Bangladesh; 11 June 2024
DF Hussein Sharafeddine (1997-10-13) 13 October 1997 (age 27) 1 0 Lebanon Safa v.  Bangladesh; 11 June 2024
DF Nour Mansour (1989-10-22) 22 October 1989 (age 35) 67 3 Lebanon Ahed v.  Australia; 26 March 2024
DF Hassan Chaitou (1991-06-16) 16 June 1991 (age 34) 21 0 Lebanon Safa v.  Australia; 26 March 2024
DF Abdallah Moughrabi (1995-08-14) 14 August 1995 (age 29) 3 0 Lebanon Nejmeh v.  Australia; 26 March 2024
DF Robert Alexander Melki (1992-11-14) 14 November 1992 (age 32) 29 0 Lebanon Ansar 2023 AFC Asian Cup
MF Ali Tneich (1992-07-16) 16 July 1992 (age 32) 24 1 Lebanon Ansar 2024 Merdeka Tournament
MF Hassan Maatouk (captain) (1987-08-10) 10 August 1987 (age 37) 123 26 Lebanon Ansar v.  Bangladesh; 11 June 2024 RET
MF Nader Matar (1992-05-12) 12 May 1992 (age 33) 71 4 Lebanon Ansar v.  Bangladesh; 11 June 2024
MF Ali Al Haj (2001-02-02) 2 February 2001 (age 24) 15 1 Lebanon Ahed v.  Bangladesh; 11 June 2024
MF Mouhammed-Ali Dhaini (1994-03-01) 1 March 1994 (age 31) 26 0 Lebanon Ansar v.  Australia; 26 March 2024
MF Yahya El Hindi (1998-09-24) 24 September 1998 (age 26) 4 0 Lebanon Ansar 2023 AFC Asian Cup
FW Khalil Bader (1999-07-27) 27 July 1999 (age 25) 12 2 Bahrain Manama 2024 Merdeka Tournament
FW Leonardo Farah Shahin (2003-08-10) 10 August 2003 (age 21) 2 0 Sweden Falkenberg 2024 Merdeka Tournament
FW Jackson Khoury (2002-11-13) 13 November 2002 (age 22) 1 0 United States Tormenta FC v.  Australia; 26 March 2024
FW Soony Saad (1992-08-17) 17 August 1992 (age 32) 38 7 Malaysia Penang 2023 AFC Asian Cup
FW Mohamad Kdouh (1997-07-10) 10 July 1997 (age 27) 27 6 Iraq Amanat Baghdad v.  Jordan; 28 December 2023 PRE

Coaching Staff

Position Name
Head coach Montenegro Miodrag Radulović
Assistant coach Lebanon Ghazi Ayoub
Goalkeeper coach Lebanon Nader Al Jawhari
Conditioning Coach Montenegro Nikola Vukčević
Fitness Coach Lebanon Abdallah Hammoud
Match Analyst Lebanon Ibrahim Raad
Doctors Lebanon Jehad Al Azzi
Physiotherapist Lebanon Mostafa Abou Zeid
Interpreter Lebanon Omar Saleh
Secretary Lebanon Houssein Moughrabi
Team manager Lebanon Ahmad Kaawar

Player Records

Players in bold are still active with Lebanon.

Most Games Played

Hassan Maatouk with a fan 2019
Hassan Maatouk has played the most games and scored the most goals for Lebanon.
Rank Player Games Goals Years Played
1 Hassan Maatouk 123 26 2006–2024
2 Mohamad Haidar 98 5 2011–present
3 Abbas Ahmad Atwi 88 8 2002–2016
4 Roda Antar 83 20 1998–2016
5 Youssef Mohamad 81 3 1999–2016
6 Nader Matar 71 4 2012–present
Jamal Taha 71 12 1993–2000
8 Walid Ismail 69 1 2010–2019
9 Nour Mansour 67 3 2010–present
10 Vardan Ghazaryan 66 21 1995–2001

Top Goal Scorers

Vartan Ghazarian
Vartan Ghazaryan was Lebanon's top scorer before Hassan Maatouk broke his record in 2023.
Rank Player Goals Games Average Years Played
1 Hassan Maatouk (list) 26 123 0.21 2006–2024
2 Vardan Ghazaryan 21 66 0.32 1995–2001
3 Roda Antar 20 83 0.24 1998–2016
4 Mohamad Ghaddar 19 46 0.41 2006–2017
5 Levon Altounian 18 18 1 1956–1967
6 Haitham Zein 17 50 0.34 1997–2004
7 Mahmoud El Ali 12 46 0.26 2007–2012
Jamal Taha 12 71 0.17 1993–2000
9 Mardik Tchaparian 10 10 1 1956–1963
Joseph Abou Mrad 10 21 0.48 1953–1967

Tournament History

Overview
Event 1st place 2nd place 3rd place
World Cup 0 0 0
Asian Cup 0 0 0
Arab Cup 0 0 1
WAFF Championship 0 0 0
Summer Olympics 0 0 0
Asian Games 0 0 0
Arab Games 0 0 2
Mediterranean Games 0 0 1

FIFA World Cup

Lebanon v South Korea, 14 November 2019 19
Lebanon's match against South Korea at the 2022 World Cup qualifiers

Lebanon's first World Cup qualification campaign was in 1986. But they withdrew because of the civil war. Their first full campaign was in 1994. Since then, Lebanon has tried to qualify for every World Cup.

Lebanon reached the final round of World Cup qualification for the first time in 2014. They beat Bangladesh and then were grouped with South Korea, Kuwait, and UAE. A big moment was their 2–1 win against South Korea at home. This sent them to the final round. In that round, they finished last in their group and were eliminated.

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place  

FIFA World Cup Qualification
Year Host Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pos. Pld W D L GF GA Ref.
1930 to 1982 Did not enter Did not enter —
1986  Mexico Withdrew Withdrew
1990  Italy Did not enter Did not enter —
1994  United States Did not qualify 3rd of 5 8 2 4 2 8 9
1998  France 2nd of 3 4 1 1 2 4 7
2002  South Korea
 Japan		 2nd of 4 6 4 1 1 26 5
2006  Germany 2nd of 4 6 3 2 1 11 5
2010  South Africa First round win, 4th of 4 8 1 1 6 9 17
2014  Brazil Second round win, 2nd of 4, 5th of 5 13 5 2 6 16 22
2018  Russia 2nd of 5 8 3 2 3 12 6
2022  Qatar 2nd of 5, 6th of 6 16 4 4 8 16 21
2026  Canada
 Mexico
 United States		 To be determined To be determined
Total N/A 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0/22 69 23 17 29 102 92

AFC Asian Cup

Main article: Lebanon at the AFC Asian Cup
Qatar v Lebanon, 9 January 2019
Lebanon's match against Qatar at the 2019 Asian Cup

Lebanon first tried to qualify for the Asian Cup in 1972. They reached the semi-finals but lost.

Lebanon's first time playing in the Asian Cup finals was in 2000, as the host country. They lost to Iran, then drew 2–2 with Iraq. Abbas Chahrour scored Lebanon's first goal in the tournament. They drew again with Thailand, but it wasn't enough to move past the group stage.

After an unbeaten qualification round, Lebanon qualified for the 2019 Asian Cup on their own. They lost their first two games to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In their last group game, they needed to win by four goals against North Korea. They won 4–1, with two goals from Hilal El-Helwe. But they were eliminated because they had more yellow cards than Vietnam.

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place  

AFC Asian Cup Qualification
Year Host Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pos. Pld W D L GF GA Ref.
1956 to 1968 Did not enter Did not enter —
1972  Thailand Did not qualify 2nd of 3, semi-final loss 3 1 0 2 4 7
1976  Iran Withdrew Withdrew
1980  Kuwait Did not qualify 3rd of 4 3 1 1 1 2 1
1984  Singapore Withdrew Withdrew
1988  Qatar Did not enter Did not enter —
1992  Japan —
1996  United Arab Emirates Did not qualify 2nd of 3 4 2 1 1 7 6
2000  Lebanon Group stage 3 0 2 1 3 7 Squad Qualified as hosts
2004  China Did not qualify 3rd of 4 6 1 1 4 2 8
2007  Indonesia
 Malaysia
 Thailand
 Vietnam		 Withdrew Withdrew
2011  Qatar Did not qualify Preliminary round win, 4th of 4 8 2 1 5 8 14
2015  Australia 3rd of 4 6 2 2 2 12 14
2019  United Arab Emirates Group stage 3 1 0 2 4 5 Squad 2nd of 5, 1st of 4 14 8 3 3 26 10
2023  Qatar Qualified 2nd of 5 6 3 1 2 11 8
Total Group stage 6 1 2 3 7 12 — 3/18 50 20 10 20 72 68 —

FIFA Arab Cup

Lebanon national football team 1963
Lebanon at the 1963 Arab Cup

Lebanon has played in most Arab Cup tournaments. They hosted the first one in 1963 and finished third.

They finished fourth in the next two tournaments (1964 and 1966). Since then, they haven't made it past the group stage.

Lebanon's FIFA Arab Cup record Qualification record
Host nation(s)
and year		 Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Squad Outcome Pld W D L GF GA Ref
Lebanon 1963 Third place 3rd of 5 4 2 0 2 13 4 Squad Qualified as invitees
Kuwait 1964 Fourth place 4th of 5 4 1 1 2 4 5 Squad Qualified as invitees
Iraq 1966 4th of 9 6 3 1 2 11 10 Squad Qualified as invitees
Saudi Arabia 1985 Did not participate Withdrew —
Jordan 1988 Group stage 6th of 10 4 1 2 1 2 4 Squad 2nd of 3 2 0 1 1 1 2
Syria 1992 Did not participate No qualifying tournament —
Qatar 1998 Group stage 9th of 12 2 0 1 1 1 4 Squad 3rd of 4 3 1 0 2 3 4
Kuwait 2002 8th of 10 4 1 1 2 5 7 Squad Qualified as invitees
2009 Cancelled 2nd of 4 3 1 2 0 4 0
Saudi Arabia 2012 Group stage 10th of 10 3 0 1 2 1 4 Squad Qualified as invitees
Qatar 2021 Group stage 10th of 16 3 1 0 2 1 3 Squad Win 1 1 0 0 1 0
Total Best: third place 8/10 27 8 7 12 37 38 — Total 9 3 3 3 9 6 —
     Champions       Runners-up       Third place Home venue

WAFF Championship

Lebanon has played in most WAFF Championship tournaments. They have never made it past the group stage. Their first time was in 2000. They finished third in their group.

Lebanon's WAFF Championship record
Host nation(s)
and year		 Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Squad Ref
Jordan 2000 Group stage 5th of 8 3 1 1 1 3 2 Squad
Syria 2002 5th of 6 2 0 0 2 0 3 Squad
Iran 2004 6th of 6 2 0 0 2 1 7 Squad
Jordan 2007 6th of 6 2 0 0 2 0 4 Squad
Iran 2008 Did not participate —
Jordan 2010 —
Kuwait 2012 Group stage 9th of 12 3 1 0 2 2 3 Squad
Qatar 2013 8th of 9 2 0 1 1 0 2 Squad
Iraq 2019 7th of 9 4 1 1 2 3 4 Squad
United Arab Emirates 2023 To be determined Squad
Total Best: group stage 8/10 18 3 3 12 9 25 — —
     Champions       Runners-up       Third place/semi-finalists   Home venue

Summer Olympic Games

See also: Lebanon at the Olympics

Lebanon's senior team has never qualified for the Summer Olympics. Their first try was for the 1960 Rome Olympics. The Olympic football tournament is now for under-23 teams.

Lebanon's Summer Olympic Games record Qualification record
Host nation,
city and year		 Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Squad Outcome Pld W D L GF GA Ref
France Paris 1900 Did not participate Did not participate —
United States St. Louis 1904 —
United Kingdom London 1908 —
Sweden Stockholm 1912 —
Belgium Antwerp 1920 —
France Paris 1924 —
Netherlands Amsterdam 1928 —
Nazi Germany Berlin 1936 —
United Kingdom London 1948 —
Finland Helsinki 1952 —
Australia Melbourne 1956 —
Italy Rome 1960 Withdrew 3rd of 3 4 0 0 4 0 15
Japan Tokyo 1964 Withdrew
Mexico Mexico City 1968 Did not qualify 3rd of 6 5 2 1 2 18 9
Germany Munich 1972 First round loss 3 1 0 2 2 3
Canada Montreal 1976 Withdrew Withdrew
Soviet Union Moscow 1980 Did not participate Did not participate —
United States Los Angeles 1984 Withdrew Withdrew
South Korea Seoul 1988 Did not participate Did not participate —
1992–present
 See Lebanon national under-23 football team See Lebanon national under-23 football team
Total Best: N/A 0/19 – – – – – – — Total 12 3 1 8 20 27 —
     Gold       Silver       Bronze   Home venue

Asian Games

The Lebanon senior team only played once at the Asian Games, in 1998. They won one game but did not qualify for the knockout round.

Lebanon's Asian Games record
Host nation,
city and year		 Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Squad Ref
India New Delhi 1951 Did not participate —
Philippines Manila 1954 —
Japan Tokyo 1958 —
Indonesia Jakarta 1962 —
Thailand Bangkok 1966 —
Thailand Bangkok 1970 —
Iran Tehran 1974 —
Thailand Bangkok 1978 —
India New Delhi 1982 —
South Korea Seoul 1986 —
China Beijing 1990 —
Japan Hiroshima 1994 —
Thailand Bangkok 1998 Group stage 12th of 23 5 2 0 3 9 7 Squad
2002–present
 See Lebanon national under-23 football team —
Total Best: group stage 1/13 5 2 0 3 9 7 — —
     Gold       Silver       Bronze Home venue

Arab Games

Lebanon played in the first Arab Games in 1953. They hosted the 1957 edition and finished third. They also came third in 1997, again as hosts.

Lebanon's Arab Games record
Host nation,
city and year		 Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Squad Ref
Egypt Alexandria 1953 Group stage 5th of 6 3 1 1 1 1 4 Squad
Lebanon Beirut 1957 Third place 3rd of 8 5 2 2 1 10 6 Squad
Morocco Casablanca 1961 Fourth place 4th of 6 5 2 0 3 13 9 Squad
United Arab Republic Cairo 1965 Group stage 7th of 10 4 1 1 2 4 7 Squad
Syria Damascus 1976 Did not participate —
Morocco Rabat 1985 —
Syria Aleppo 1992 —
Lebanon Beirut 1997 Third place 3rd of 8 5 2 2 1 9 7 Squad
Jordan Amman 1999 Second stage 5th of 11 5 2 1 2 6 9 Squad
Egypt Cairo 2007 Did not participate —
Qatar Doha 2011 —
2023–present
 See Lebanon national under-23 football team —
Total Best: third place 6/11 27 10 7 10 43 42 — —
     Champions       Runners-up       Third place Home venue

Mediterranean Games

Lebanon first played at the Mediterranean Games in 1959, when they hosted. They finished last. They played two more times but did not get past the group stage.

Lebanon's Mediterranean Games record
Host nation,
city and year		 Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Squad Ref
Egypt Alexandria 1951 Did not participate —
Spain Barcelona 1955 —
Lebanon Beirut 1959 Third place 3rd of 3 4 0 0 4 1 2 Squad
Italy Naples 1963 Group stage 7th of 9 4 1 0 3 2 7 Squad
Tunisia Tunis 1967 Did not participate —
Turkey İzmir 1971 —
Algeria Algiers 1975 —
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Split 1979 —
Morocco Casablanca 1983 —
Syria Latakia 1987 Group stage 6th of 8 3 0 1 2 1 7 Squad
1991–present
 See Lebanon national under-20 football team —
Total Best: third place 3/10 11 1 1 9 4 16 — —
     Gold       Silver       Bronze Home venue

Other Tournaments

Lebanon won their first tournament, though unofficial, at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament. They finished first in their group. In 1998, they came third at the Friendship Tournament. They also finished third at the 2009 King's Cup in Thailand.

Tournament Round Ref
Libya 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament Champions
Syria 1974 Kuneitra Cup Group stage
South Korea 1975 President's Cup Group stage
South Korea 1978 President's Cup Group stage
Kuwait 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup Group stage
United Arab Emirates 1998 Friendship Tournament Third place
Thailand 2009 King's Cup Third place
India 2009 Nehru Cup Group stage
India 2023 Intercontinental Cup Runners-up
India 2023 SAFF Championship Semi-finals
Thailand 2023 King's Cup Third place
Malaysia 2024 Merdeka Tournament Runners-up
     Champions       Runners-up       Third place

Honours

Regional

  • Arab Cup
    • 3 Third place (1): 1963
  • Arab Games
    • 3 Bronze medal (2): 1957, 1997
  • Mediterranean Games
    • 3 Bronze medal (1): 1959

Friendly

  • Tripoli Fair Tournament
    • 1 Champions (1): 1964
  • Friendship Tournament
    • 3 Third place (1): 1998
  • AIFF Intercontinental Cup
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 2023
  • King's Cup
    • 3 Third place (2): 2009, 2023
  • Merdeka Tournament
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 2024

Summary

Competition 1 2 3 Total
Arab Cup 0 0 1 1
Arab Games 0 0 2 2
Mediterranean Games 0 0 1 1
Total 0 0 4 4

Images for kids

  • Camille Cordahi v Mandatory Palestine, 1940

    Lebanese forward Camille Cordahi during the 1940 match against Mandatory Palestine

  • Lebanon national football team 1966

    Lebanon at the 1966 Arab Cup

  • Devastated Stadium - 13371618444

    The destroyed Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium during the Lebanese Civil War in 1982.

  • Iran v Lebanon, 11 June 2013 05

    Lebanon against Iran at the 2014 World Cup qualification

  • Miodrag Radulović Lebanon, 2019 AFC Asian Cup

    Radulović coached Lebanon between 2015 and 2019.

  • Lebanon vs Saudi Arabi 20191201 08

    Lebanon during the 2019 Asian Cup group stage match against Saudi Arabia

  • Iran v Lebanon, 29 March 2022 (Fars) 14

    Lebanon against Iran at the 2022 World Cup qualification

  • Qatar v Lebanon (16)

    Lebanon during the 2023 Asian Cup group stage match against Qatar

  • Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium 2018 - Beirut derby (Nejmeh fans)

    The Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in 2018

  • Lebanon v South Korea, 14 November 2019 19

    Lebanon's match against South Korea at the 2022 World Cup qualifiers

  • Qatar v Lebanon, 9 January 2019

    Lebanon's match against Qatar at the 2019 Asian Cup

  • Lebanon national football team 1963

    Lebanon at the 1963 Arab Cup

  • Hassan Maatouk with a fan 2019

    Hassan Maatouk is Lebanon's all-time record goalscorer and most-capped player.

  • Vartan Ghazarian

    Vardan Ghazarian was Lebanon's top scorer, before being surpassed by Hassan Maatouk in 2023.

See also

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