December 2 – Football is to resume in Lebanon from early next year – days after Israel and Hezbollah announced a ceasefire in their ongoing war.
In September, the Lebanese FA postponed all matches in its affiliated tournaments after Israel struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah targeted military facilities in northern Israel.
Lebanon has been hosting the home legs of its World Cup qualifiers in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates due to the conflict.
“The Executive Committee of the Lebanese Football Federation decided in its meeting today Friday to complete all football activities and tournaments starting from the beginning of the new year 2025,” the LFA said in a statement.
The announcement was made as online footage of reportedly Israeli excavators digging up a community football facility in the country.
Abou Diab, a lecturer in geopolitics at Université La Sagesse in Beirut, told CBC News that seven of the Lebanese Premier League’s 12 clubs are based in areas Israel recently bombed, including the South, Baalbek and Haret Hreik.
Palestine has also been staging home matches abroad in Kuwait and Qatar because of Israel’s invasion of Gaza, while Israel is hosting its Nations League home games in Hungary.
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