Lebanon was one of the first nations in the Middle East to establish a formal administrative body for association football.^[a][2] On 22 March 1933, representatives from 13 football clubs gathered in the Minet El Hosn district of Beirut to form the Lebanese Football Association (LFA).^[3][4] The LFA was initially led by Hussein Sejaan,^[5] and became a member of FIFA in 1936.^[4][6]

On 3 February 1934, the LFA organized a training camp for 22 players from Beirut in preparation for a friendly match against the Romanian club CA Timișoara (TAC).^[7] The players were divided into two teams and competed against each other at the American University of Beirut (AUB) field.^[7] However, the scheduled match against TAC on 18 February was canceled due to financial disputes between the LFA and AUB, which had organized the event.^[8] The Beirut XI team eventually faced TAC on 21 November 1935 at the AUB field,^[9] losing 3–0.^[10]

On 29 October 1939, the Beirut XI played their first match against Syria's Damascus XI in Beirut, resulting in a 5–4 defeat.^[11] They played a return game in Damascus on 14 November, which resulted in a 6–1 win for Beirut XI.^[12] Over the following years, the two teams competed in 16 unofficial matches until 1963, with the Beirut XI securing seven victories, two draws, and seven losses.^[13]

The Lebanese national team's first official FIFA-recognized match was played on 27 April 1940, facing Mandatory Palestine at the Maccabiah Stadium in Palestine.^[14] The game ended in a 5–1 defeat for Lebanon, with an estimated attendance of 6,000 to 10,000 spectators.^[15] Mandatory Palestine dominated the first half, scoring four goals.^[16] In the second half, Lebanese forward Camille Cordahi, assisted by Muhieddine Jaroudi, scored Lebanon's first official international goal.^[16] Mandatory Palestine added a fifth goal, concluding the match with a 5–1 victory.^[16]

Lebanon played their first official match against Syria on 26 April 1942, losing 2–1 in Beirut as part of the Coupe Hauteclocque.^[17] The trophy, donated by French diplomat Jean de Hauteclocque [fr] in 1939, was intended to be a regular fixture between Lebanon and Syria.^[18] The match, held at the AUB field in front of 3,000 spectators, saw Lebanon coached by Abed Traboulsi and captained by Labib Majdalani.^[17] Although two matches were initially planned,^[18] only the Beirut fixture took place.^[17] The Coupe Hauteclocque remained a point of contention, as the Syrian Football Association had retained possession of the cup since 1939.^[18] Lebanon played two additional friendlies against Syria in 1947, losing 4–1 in Beirut on 4 May,^[19] and 1–0 in Aleppo on 18 May.^[20]

Coached by Vinzenz Dittrich,^[21] Lebanon participated in their first international tournament at the inaugural edition of the football tournament at the Arab Games, held in Egypt in 1953.^[22] The team finished at the bottom of its group after a 4–1 loss to Jordan,^[23] and a 0–0 draw with Syria.^[24] In the fifth-place match, Lebanon secured a 9–1 victory over Palestine.^[25]

In February 1956, Lebanon played Hungary in a notable 4–1 home defeat, during which Hungarian star Ferenc Puskás scored two goals.^[26][27] Lebanon also participated in unofficial matches against prominent European clubs such as Dynamo Moscow, Leipzig, and Spartak Trnava in 1957.^[13] That same year, Lebanon faced Romanian club Energia Flacăra Ploiești in the opening game of the Sports City Stadium in Beirut, securing a 1–0 victory with a goal by Joseph Abou Mrad.^[28]

In October 1957, Lebanon hosted the second edition of the Arab Games and were drawn with Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan in the group stages.^[29] After two 1–1 draws against Saudi Arabia and Syria, Lebanon defeated Jordan 6–3 thanks to two braces by Joseph Abou Mrad and Mardik Tchaparian, and one goal each by Robert Chehade and Levon Altounian; this placed them first in their group.^[30] In the semifinals, Lebanon lost 4–2 to Tunisia.^[31] They finished in third place after Morocco withdrew from the third-place match.^[29]

Lebanon hosted the third edition of the Mediterranean Games in 1959, held in Beirut in October, and were grouped with Italy B and Turkey B.^[b][32] They finished last in the group, after four losses to the two European teams.^{[33][34][35][36]} Lebanon played their first Olympic Games qualifiers in 1959 between November and December. Coached by English coach Harry Wright, Lebanon were grouped with Iraq and Turkey. They played two games against Iraq, losing 3–0 at home and 8–0 away, before withdrawing from the qualifiers prior to their two matches against Turkey.^[37][38]

The 1961 Arab Games, marking the third edition of the competition, were held in Morocco. The tournament featured six teams competing in a single round-robin format. Lebanon's national team participated in the event, under head coach Joseph Nalbandian, recording a mixed set of results.^[39] Lebanon won matches against Saudi Arabia (7–1) and Kuwait (4–0), and suffered defeats against Morocco (1–0), the United Arab Republic (UAR; 4–0), and Libya (3–2). Lebanon finished in fourth place out of the six participating teams.^[40][41]

Lebanon hosted the inaugural Arab Cup in 1963, marking the first edition of the tournament.^[42] The concept of an Arab Cup was initially proposed in 1957 by Lebanese journalist Nassif Majdalani and Izzat Al Turk, the Secretary General of the LFA.^[43][44] In 1962, the LFA, under the leadership of its president Georges Dabbas, formally advocated for the establishment of the tournament.^[45] The inaugural competition took place in Beirut between April and May 1963, featuring five participating teams.^[42] Lebanon was placed in a group with Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan.^[42] The Lebanese team began the tournament with a 6–0 victory over Kuwait, highlighted by a hat-trick from Mardik Tchaparian.^[46] Following another win against Jordan (5–0) and losses to Syria (3–2) and Tunisia (1–0), Lebanon secured a third-place finish in the tournament.^[42]

The 1963 Mediterranean Games, the fourth edition of the event, was held in Italy in September. Lebanon was placed in Group B alongside Turkey, Spain, Malta, and the UAR. Notably, European teams in the tournament fielded amateur players. Lebanon's campaign began with a 1–0 loss to Spain,^[47] followed by a 4–0 loss to Turkey,^[48] and a 2–0 victory over Malta.^[49] In their final group match against the UAR on 25 September, the game was abandoned in the 27th minute due to a waterlogged pitch with the score at 0–0; after a dispute over the venue for the rescheduled match, Lebanon withdrew from the competition and the UAR was awarded a 2–0 walkover victory.^[50]

Lebanon played at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament, held in Tripoli, Libya in March; in a group with Sudan B, Morocco B, Malta B, and hosts Libya, they finished in first place with seven points.^[51] The 1964 Arab Cup, the second edition of the tournament, was held in Kuwait in November. The competition featured five teams—Iraq, Libya, Kuwait, Jordan, and Lebanon—competing in a single-round robin format. Lebanon finished in fourth place, recording one win, one draw, and two defeats during the tournament.^[52][53][54] In August 1964, Lebanon joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).^[55]

The 1965 Arab Games, the fourth edition of the event, took place in Cairo, UAR. Lebanon was placed in Group A alongside the UAR, Palestine, Iraq, and Aden. The team finished fourth in the group.^[56][57 In the , the third edition held in Iraq, Lebanon were drawn with Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and in Group A. After three wins and a draw,^[62][63][64] they qualified to the semi-finals against Syria, where they lost 1–0.^[65] In the third-place match, Lebanon lost 6–1 to Libya, finishing the competition in fourth place.^[66] In November 1965, the LFA informed the AFC that Lebanon would not participate in the qualifiers for the 1968 Asian Cup.^[67]

Lebanon participated in the 1968 Olympic Games qualifiers, held in Tokyo, Japan, from September to October 1967. Lebanon faced challenges early on, as the team's Hungarian coach, József Albert, was unable to obtain a visa for Japan and was replaced by Joseph Nalbandian.^[68] Lebanon began with a 1–1 draw against South Vietnam,^[69] followed by a 2–0 loss to South Korea,^[70] and a 3–1 defeat to Japan.^[71][72] However, the team secured two notable victories: an 11–1 win over the Philippines on 6 October,^[73] which remains Lebanon's largest margin of victory to date,^[14] and a 5–2 win against Taiwan.^[74][75] The match against the Philippines featured four goals by Joseph Abou Mrad and three by Samir Nassar.^[73] Despite these wins, Lebanon finished third out of six teams and did not qualify for the Olympics.^[76]

Four years later, Lebanon took part in the 1972 Olympic Games qualifiers under coach Joseph Abou Mrad. It was initially planned for a group stage in Tehran, featuring North Korea, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. However, due to visa issues with Iranian authorities, FIFA restructured the group into knockout ties.^[77] Ultimately, Lebanon faced Iraq in a home-and-away series. Lebanon won the first match 1–0 in Beirut,^[78] but lost the second 1–0 in Baghdad.^[79] A decisive third match was held in Istanbul, Turkey, where Iraq secured a 2–1 victory, advancing to the second round of qualifiers; Lebanon was eliminated from the competition.^[80]

Lebanon's first qualifying campaign for the Asian Cup was in 1972, under coach Abou Mrad.^[81] The Western Zone qualifiers, held in Kuwait in December 1971, began with an allocation match to determine Lebanon's group placement. Lebanon lost 3–0 to Bahrain,^[82] and was placed in Group B alongside Kuwait and Syria.^[83] In the group stage, Lebanon suffered a 1–0 defeat to Kuwait,^[84] but secured a 3–2 victory over Syria, advancing to the semi-finals.^[85] However, in the decisive semi-final match, where a win would have guaranteed qualification, Lebanon lost 4–1 to Iraq.^[86] The team concluded their campaign with a 2–0 consolation victory over Jordan in the third-place match.^[87]

Despite the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), the national football team continued participating in international competitions, though with significant disruptions. Ahead of qualification for the 1976 Asian Cup, in which Lebanon had originally agreed to host their group, the team withdrew due to the civil war.^[88]

A notable incident occurred in 1979 during preparations for a match against South Korea, when Joseph Nalbandian, secretary-general of the LFA, was detained for six hours in the basement of the Kataeb Regulatory Forces' War Council building, the paramilitary wing of the Kataeb Party.^[89] Despite this political interference, the national team proceeded with its travel to South Korea for the match.^[89]

The team faced further challenges during the 1980 Asian Cup qualifiers, held in Abu Dhabi in November 1979. After a 0–0 draw against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lebanon needed a victory over Syria to secure qualification for the final tournament.^[90] The decisive match proved controversial, with refereeing decisions including a disputed penalty awarded to Syria, a disallowed Lebanese goal, and the sending off of three Lebanese players. These incidents contributed to Lebanon's 1–0 defeat, resulting in their elimination from the competition.^[91]

Further disruptions followed in the mid-1980s Asian Cup and World Cup qualification cycles. Lebanon withdrew from the 1984 Asian Cup qualifiers despite being scheduled to compete in Saudi Arabia in October 1984,^[92] after being unable to depart Beirut due to security concerns, with the LFA citing "reasons beyond its control".^[89] Similarly, in the team's first attempt at qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in 1986, Lebanon played four matches in March 1985 against Iraq and Qatar before withdrawing due to the escalation of the civil war,^[93] with FIFA later annulling all results.^[94]

At the 1987 Mediterranean Games in Latakia, Syria, Lebanon participated in the football tournament but struggled competitively. After an initial 0–0 draw against San Marino,^[95] defeats to Turkey Olympic (1–0)^[96] and hosts Syria (6–1) saw the team finish third in their group and fail to progress beyond the group stage.^[97]

Lebanon's final major tournament appearance during the civil war came at the 1988 Arab Cup. After qualifying through matches in Aleppo, including a 2–1 loss to Syria^[98] and a 0–0 draw with Palestine,^[99] Lebanon competed in the finals in Jordan. Drawn alongside Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia, the team recorded one win, two draws, and one defeat, finishing third in the group and failing to advance to the knockout stages.^[100]

Lebanon returned to international competition in 1993, entering the qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup under coach Adnan Al Sharqi.^[101] Their 57-year gap between joining FIFA in 1936 and entering a full World Cup qualifying campaign in 1993 was the longest at the time; the record was surpassed by the Philippines three years later with a gap of 68 years.^[102] Lebanon finished third in their group with two wins, four draws, and two losses, failing to advance.^[103]

Under Terry Yorath, Lebanon's first foreign manager after the civil war, the team began their qualification campaign for the 1996 Asian Cup.^[104] Despite two wins against Turkmenistan and only one defeat, against Kuwait, Lebanon were eliminated by a single point.^[104] During Yorath's tenure between 1995 and 1997, Lebanon rose 10 places in the FIFA rankings following a 3–3 draw with the Czech Republic and a 1–0 win over Jordan in February 1997.^[105] Lebanon were also named Asian Team of the Month.^[105] In qualification for the 1998 World Cup, Lebanon were drawn with Kuwait and Singapore,^[106] and finished bottom of the group with four points.^[106] Despite the elimination, Yorath remains one of Lebanon's most successful managers, winning 15 of his 31 official matches in charge.^[101]

Lebanon hosted the 2000 Asian Cup despite FIFA concerns over stadium conditions.^[107] Coached by Josip Skoblar^[108] and captained by Jamal Taha,^[109] Lebanon were drawn with Iran, Iraq, and Thailand in Group A.^[110] Five members of the 23-man squad were Brazilian-born players of Lebanese descent.^[111] Lebanon opened the tournament on 12 October, with a 4–0 defeat to Iran at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in front of 52,418 spectators.^[110] In the following match against Iraq, Lebanon recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2–2 through goals from Abbas Chahrour^[112] and Moussa Hojeij, earning their first point in the competition.^[110] A 1–1 draw against Thailand in the final group match, with Luís Fernandes scoring Lebanon's equaliser, was not enough to advance, as they finished bottom of the group with two points.^[110]

Managed by Theo Bücker, Lebanon competed in the first round of qualification for the 2002 World Cup against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.^[113] Led offensively by Roda Antar, Haitham Zein, Vardan Ghazaryan, and Gilberto, Lebanon finished second in their group after scoring 26 goals in six matches. Despite finishing the qualifiers with the most goals scored in their group, Lebanon finished second and were eliminated.^[113]

Under Richard Tardy,^[114] Lebanon entered the qualifiers for the 2004 Asian Cup.^[115] Before their away match against North Korea, the Lebanese delegation reportedly faced poor accommodation and inadequate training conditions, with their training field allegedly containing goats and sheep.^[116] Lebanon finished third in their qualifying group with four points.^[115] In the second round of qualification for the 2006 World Cup, Lebanon were drawn with South Korea, Vietnam, and the Maldives.^[117] Coached by Mahmoud Hamoud, they finished second in the group and were eliminated.^[117]

Lebanon were drawn with Australia, Bahrain, and Kuwait in the 2007 Asian Cup qualifiers.^[118] The scheduled encounter against Australia led Australian-born defender Buddy Farah to return to the Lebanese national team.^[119] However, before Lebanon's match against Bahrain on 16 August 2006, the AFC accepted the LFA's withdrawal request due to the 2006 Lebanon War, which had forced several players to flee their homes.^[120]

In the first round of qualification for the 2010 World Cup, Lebanon defeated India 6–3 on aggregate to advance to the third round.^[121] Drawn with Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Uzbekistan, they finished bottom of the group without a point.^[122] In the preliminary round of qualifying for the 2011 Asian Cup,^[c][123] Lebanon defeated the Maldives 6–1 on aggregate to reach the qualifying round,^[126][127] but finished last in a group containing China, Syria, and Vietnam.^[128]

Emile Rustom, reappointed head coach in 2008, led Lebanon into the second round of qualification for the 2014 World Cup.^[129] Lebanon defeated Bangladesh 4–2 on aggregate,^[130] before being drawn with South Korea, Kuwait, and the UAE in the third round.^[131] Rustom resigned shortly after the draw, citing internal administrative issues,^[132][133] and Theo Bücker was reappointed as head coach in August 2011.^[134]

After opening the campaign with a 6–0 defeat to South Korea, Lebanon came from behind to beat the UAE 3–1 at home,^[135][136] followed by a 2–2 draw against Kuwait.^[137] More than 30,000 spectators attended the Kuwait match at Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, the first time fans had been officially allowed in the venue since 2005 due to previous crowd issues.^[138] Fan misconduct again interrupted the match several times.^[139] Lebanon later defeated Kuwait 1–0 away from home, their first victory over Kuwait in Kuwait City.^[140][141] On 15 November 2011, Lebanon defeated South Korea 2–1 in Beirut in front of more than 40,000 spectators.^[142] Goals from Ali Al Saadi and Abbas Ali Atwi gave Lebanon their first-ever win against South Korea and secured qualification to the final round of World Cup qualifying for the first time.^[143]

Lebanon were drawn with South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Qatar in the fourth round.^[144] A 1–0 home win against Iran on 11 September 2012, courtesy of a header by captain Roda Antar, kept Lebanon in contention for qualification.^[145] However, during the campaign, national team players Ramez Dayoub and Mahmoud El Ali were implicated in the 2013 Lebanese match-fixing scandal and received lifetime bans from the Lebanese Football Association.^[146][147] Lebanon's 1–0 defeat to Qatar was part of the scandal, with defender Dayoub purposely passing the ball to the Qatari striker who netted the lone goal of the game.^[148] Lebanon remained in contention until the penultimate matchday, when South Korea scored a 97th-minute equaliser in Beirut to eliminate them from qualification.^[149]

In qualification for the 2015 Asian Cup, Lebanon were drawn with Iran, Thailand, and Kuwait.^[150] Giuseppe Giannini replaced Bücker as head coach during the campaign.^[151] Lebanon finished third in their group with two wins, two draws, and two defeats, narrowly missing qualification after China advanced as the better third-placed team on goal difference.^[150] In September 2014, Lebanon drew 2–2 with the Brazil Olympic team in an unofficial FIFA match in Doha, with Hassan Maatouk having a goal incorrectly ruled offside, and Brazil scoring a goal which was erroneously ruled onside.^[152][153] Following a 5–0 friendly defeat to Qatar the following month,^[154] Giannini was dismissed.^[155]

Miodrag Radulović was appointed the team's new coach in 2015,^[156] and led Lebanon in the 2018 World Cup qualifications, played between June 2015 and March 2016.^[157] Drawn with South Korea, Kuwait, Myanmar, and Laos,^[158] Lebanon finished second in their group and advanced to the third round of qualification for the 2019 Asian Cup.^[159] Placed in a group with North Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia,^[160] Lebanon topped the group with five wins and a draw to qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time through qualification.^[d] Captain Hassan Maatouk^[162] played a key role in the campaign, scoring five goals in six matches.^[159][163] Although Radulović failed to qualify Lebanon for the 2018 World Cup, he led them to their first-ever successful Asian Cup qualification campaign.^[159] Between 29 March 2016 to 9 September 2018, Lebanon also recorded a 16-match unbeaten run,^[164][165] winning eight and drawing eight games,^[166] and reached a then-best FIFA ranking of 77th in September 2018.^[167]

At the 2019 Asian Cup, Lebanon relied heavily on players from the Lebanese diaspora, with nine members of the 23-man squad being born outside the country.^[111] Drawn in Group E, Lebanon opened the tournament with a 2–0 defeat against eventual champions Qatar;^[168] Ali Hamam had scored from a corner in the first half, though the goal was controversially disallowed for a foul.^{[169][170][171]} A second 2–0 defeat, against Saudi Arabia, left Lebanon needing a four-goal victory over North Korea in their final group match to have a chance of progressing.^[172] Lebanon won 4–1 thanks to a brace from Hilal El-Helwe, securing the country's first-ever Asian Cup victory.^[173] However, they were eliminated on the fair play rule after finishing level on points and goal difference with Vietnam in the third-place ranking, having received two more yellow cards.^[173]

Liviu Ciobotariu was appointed head coach for the joint qualification campaign the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup.^[174] After a mixed performance at the 2019 WAFF Championship,^[175] Lebanon began the second round of qualification for the 2022 World Cup against South Korea, North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Sri Lanka.^[176] Following the postponement of fixtures due to the COVID-19 pandemic,^[177][178] former captain Jamal Taha took charge in 2020.^[179] North Korea's withdrawal from qualification in 2021 proved beneficial to Lebanon,^[180] who advanced to the final round of World Cup qualification for the second time and qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup for the third time.^[181]

Under Ivan Hašek, Lebanon competed in the final round of 2022 World Cup qualification against Iran, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Syria. After earning five points from their opening four matches, including a 3–2 win over Syria,^[182] Lebanon were considered an early surprise package of the qualifiers.^[183][184] However, they earned only one point from their remaining six matches and finished bottom of the group.^[185] The campaign was later featured in FIFA and Netflix's documentary series Captains.^[186]

In preparation for the 2023 Asian Cup, Lebanon finished runners-up at the 2023 Intercontinental Cup,^[187] reached the semi-finals of the 2023 SAFF Championship,^[188] and placed third at the 2023 King's Cup.^[189] Radulović returned as head coach ahead of the tournament, held in January 2024.^[190] Lebanon were drawn in Group A with hosts and defending champions Qatar, China, and debutants Tajikistan.^[191] They played the tournament's opening match at the Lusail Stadium in front of 82,490 spectators, losing 3–0 to Qatar.^[192] Lebanon then held China to a goalless draw, leaving qualification to the knockout stage dependent on the final match against Tajikistan.^[193] Bassel Jradi gave Lebanon the lead early in the second half, but Kassem El Zein was sent off in the 52nd minute.^[194] Tajikistan scored twice late on to win 2–1, eliminating Lebanon from the competition as they finished bottom of the group with one point.^[194]

In the second round of qualification for the 2026 World Cup, Lebanon were drawn with Australia, Palestine and Bangladesh.^[195] Following one win, three draws, and one defeat,^[196] Lebanon's third-place finish advanced them to the final round of qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup.^[197] The World Cup qualifiers were also the last games of Lebanon's captain Hassan Maatouk, who retired as the team's all-time top goalscorer and most-capped player with 26 goals in 123 games.^[198]

In the final round of Asian Cup qualification, Lebanon were drawn alongside Yemen, Bhutan, and Brunei.^[199] After five matches, the team led their group with 13 points, recording four wins and one draw,^[200] and headed into the final match against Yemen requiring only a draw to secure qualification for the tournament.^[201] In November 2025, Lebanon failed qualification for the 2025 Arab Cup after a defeat to Sudan.^[202] Following this result, head coach Radulović was dismissed and replaced in 2026 by Algerian manager Madjid Bougherra.^[203] The final Asian Cup qualifying match, originally scheduled for March 2026, was postponed to June 2026 due to security concerns arising from the 2026 Lebanon war.^[204] In the decisive fixture against Yemen, Lebanon lost 2–0 and failed to qualify for the Asian Cup.^[201]

Lebanon is known as "the Cedars" (Arabic: رجال الأرز) by fans and the media, since the cedar tree is the country's national symbol.^[205][206]

Lebanon's kit over the years

1940

1966

2019

The national team traditionally wear red as their primary colour and white as their secondary colour.^[2][207] The choices originate from the national flag of Lebanon (red, white, and green); green is sometimes reserved for the goalkeeper.^[208] At home, Lebanon usually wear a red shirt, shorts, and socks, with white details;^[172] the away kit is a white outfit with red details.^[168]

During their first unofficial match in 1935, Lebanon wore white shirts with the Lebanese cedar and the association's name on the chest, black shorts, and white socks; the goalkeeper wore a black shirt and white trousers.^[209] In 1940, on the occasion of their first FIFA-sanctioned game against Mandatory Palestine, Lebanon wore a white kit with a black collar, along with black shorts and striped socks.^[210] During the 1960s, Lebanon wore a red shirt with a white horizontal band in the center, which included a green cedar tree in the middle; the shorts were white, and the socks were red-and-white-striped.^[211]

In the 2000 Asian Cup, Lebanon wore a red Adidas shirt with white details on the sides and a white collar, white shorts, and red socks.^[212] In the 2019 campaign, Lebanon wore a red kit with white details and a white collar,^[172] manufactured by Capelli Sport, a sports brand founded by Lebanese-born entrepreneur George Altirs.^[213] The Lebanese cedar, the country's national symbol, was present under the team logo in a darker shade of red.^[214] Since 2023, the team kit has been manufactured by Kelme.^[215] Previous manufacturers include Diadora and Adidas.^[216][217]

The Lebanese national team play their home games in various stadiums throughout the country. The team's main venue is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. Built in 1957 during the presidency of Camille Chamoun, it is the country's largest stadium with 49,500 seats.^[218] Its inaugural game was in 1957, when the national team played Energia Flacara Ploiesti and won 1–0 thanks to a Joseph Abou Mrad goal.^[28] It was the main stadium used to host the 2000 Asian Cup held in Lebanon; six matches were played in the stadium including the opening match and the final.^[219][220] In 2011 the stadium hosted the famed 2–1 victory against South Korea in the 2014 World Cup qualification, sending Lebanon to the final round of qualification for the first time; over 40,000 spectators were present to watch the match.^[142]

The national team, however, also play in other stadiums such as the Saida Municipal Stadium located in Sidon. Built over the sea, the stadium holds 22,600 people,^[221] and was one of the venues to host the 2000 Asian Cup.^[222] Other stadiums in which the national team play include the Tripoli Municipal Stadium and the Beirut Municipal Stadium.^[223][224]

Produced by Fulwell 73, FIFA released Captains in 2022, an eight-part sports docuseries following six national team captains in their respective 2022 World Cup qualification campaigns.^[186] Hassan Maatouk, representing Lebanon, starred in the first season alongside Thiago Silva (Brazil), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Andre Blake (Jamaica) and Brian Kaltak (Vanuatu).^[186] It was released by Netflix, and also shown on FIFA's own streaming platform, FIFA+.^[225]

On 20 May 2026, the following players were named in the squad for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification match against Yemen on 4 June.^[227]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Mehdi Khalil	(1991-09-19) 19 September 1991 (age 34)	58	0	Ahed
21	1GK	Mostafa Matar	(1995-09-10) 10 September 1995 (age 30)	43	0	Nejmeh
23	1GK	Ali Sabeh	(1994-06-24) 24 June 1994 (age 32)	9	0	Jwaya
3	2DF	Khalil Khamis	(1995-01-12) 12 January 1995 (age 31)	21	2	Nejmeh
4	2DF	Pedro Budib	(2004-04-07) 7 April 2004 (age 22)	2	1	Pachuca U23
5	2DF	Nassar Nassar	(1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 (age 34)	34	0	Ansar
6	2DF	Hussein Zein	(1995-01-27) 27 January 1995 (age 31)	49	0	Nejmeh
16	2DF	Walid Shour	(1996-06-10) 10 June 1996 (age 30)	39	1	Jwaya
18	2DF	Kassem El Zein	(1990-12-02) 2 December 1990 (age 35)	56	2	Nejmeh
22	2DF	Hasan Farhat	(2004-09-21) 21 September 2004 (age 21)	3	0	Jwaya
	2DF	Hussein Sharafeddine	(1997-10-13) 13 October 1997 (age 28)	5	0	Safa
2	3MF	Ali El Fadl	(2003-03-29) 29 March 2003 (age 23)	1	0	Nejmeh
8	3MF	Ali Tneich	(1992-07-16) 16 July 1992 (age 33)	31	1	Ansar
10	3MF	Mohamad Haidar (captain)	(1989-11-08) 8 November 1989 (age 36)	110	6	Ahed
12	3MF	Hasan Srour	(2001-12-18) 18 December 2001 (age 24)	22	0	Jwaya
13	3MF	Ahmad Kheir El Dine	(1995-07-07) 7 July 1995 (age 31)	13	0	Ansar
14	3MF	Gabriel Bitar	(1998-08-23) 23 August 1998 (age 27)	16	0	Inter Toronto
15	3MF	Jihad Ayoub	(1995-03-30) 30 March 1995 (age 31)	26	2	Jwaya
	3MF	Mahdi Zein	(2000-05-23) 23 May 2000 (age 26)	15	1	Ansar
7	4FW	Karim Darwich	(1998-11-02) 2 November 1998 (age 27)	34	3	Duhok
9	4FW	Omar Chaaban	(1994-01-03) 3 January 1994 (age 32)	25	2	Suzhou Dongwu
11	4FW	Leonardo Shahin	(2003-08-10) 10 August 2003 (age 22)	5	0	IK Oddevold
17	4FW	Ali Al Haj	(2001-02-02) 2 February 2001 (age 25)	15	1	Nejmeh
19	4FW	Austin Ayoubi	(2001-07-27) 27 July 2001 (age 24)	1	0	Free agent
20	4FW	Jimmy Kazan	(2007-03-26) 26 March 2007 (age 19)	1	0	Free agent
	4FW	Zein Farran	(1999-07-21) 21 July 1999 (age 26)	12	1	Jwaya

The following footballers were part of a national selection in the past 12 months, but are not part of 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 27)	1	0	Nejmeh	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
DF	Mohammad El Hayek	(2000-02-19) 19 February 2000 (age 26)	17	0	Newroz	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
DF	Mohamad Safwan	(2003-03-10) 10 March 2003 (age 23)	12	1	Nejmeh	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
DF	Mohamad Baker El Housseini	(2002-12-18) 18 December 2002 (age 23)	3	0	Borneo Samarinda	v.  Indonesia; 8 September 2025
MF	Khoder Kaddour	(2003-09-06) 6 September 2003 (age 22)	5	0	Hume City	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
MF	Majed Osman	(1994-06-09) 9 June 1994 (age 32)	15	2	Ansar	v.  Bhutan; 14 October 2025
MF	Hassan Kourani	(1995-01-22) 22 January 1995 (age 31)	12	1	Nejmeh	v.  Qatar; 24 August 2025
FW	Malek Fakhro	(1997-12-14) 14 December 1997 (age 28)	12	5	1. FC Bocholt	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
FW	Samy Merheg	(2006-12-06) 6 December 2006 (age 19)	12	7	Braga	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
FW	Ali Kassas	(2003-02-25) 25 February 2003 (age 23)	10	1	Nejmeh	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
FW	Hussein Ezeddine	(2002-10-17) 17 October 2002 (age 23)	2	0	Ahed	v.  Sudan; 26 November 2025
FW	Husseyn Chakroun	(2004-11-10) 10 November 2004 (age 21)	6	2	Hannover 96	v.  Bhutan; 14 October 2025
FW	Daniel Kuri	(1999-01-22) 22 January 1999 (age 27)	16	0	Roda JC	v.  Indonesia; 8 September 2025
FW	Karim Mekkaoui	(2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 25)	3	0	Ethnikos Achna	v.  Indonesia; 8 September 2025
FW	Mohammad Al Massri	(2001-06-22) 22 June 2001 (age 25)	1	0	Ahed	v.  Indonesia; 8 September 2025
FW	Ramy Najjarine	(2000-04-23) 23 April 2000 (age 26)	1	0	Wellington Phoenix[e]	v.  Indonesia; 8 September 2025

Although the Lebanese Football Association was formed in 1933,^[3][4] Lebanon's first qualification campaign for the FIFA World Cup took place in the 1986 edition.^[93] However, after playing four matches, Lebanon withdrew due to the ongoing civil war, and their results were subsequently annulled.^[93] The country's first full qualification campaign came two editions later, in 1994, where they finished third in their group with two wins, four draws, and two losses.^[103] Ever since, Lebanon have participated in every iteration of the World Cup qualifiers.

Lebanon first reached the final round of World Cup qualification during the 2014 campaign. After beating Bangladesh 4–2 on aggregate in the second round,^[130] Lebanon qualified to the third round, where they were drawn with South Korea, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.^[131] The team beat South Korea in a historic 2–1 win at home, coming second in their group and qualifying to the fourth (and final) round for the first time.^[143] Grouped with Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Qatar,^[150] Lebanon finished last in Group A and were eliminated with only one win and two draws in eight games.^[149]

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place  

FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1930 to 1934		Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member							—
1938 to 1982		Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1986	Mexico	Withdrew									Withdrew							[93]
1990	Italy	Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1994	United States	Did not qualify									3rd of 5	8	2	4	2	8	9	[103]
1998	France										2nd of 3	4	1	1	2	4	7	[106]
2002	South Korea Japan										2nd of 4	6	4	1	1	26	5	[113]
2006	Germany										2nd of 4	6	3	2	1	11	5	[117]
2010	South Africa										First round win, 4th of 4	8	1	1	6	9	17	[231]
2014	Brazil										Second round win, 2nd of 4, 5th of 5	16	5	3	8	17	28	[232]
2018	Russia										2nd of 5	8	3	2	3	12	6	[233]
2022	Qatar										2nd of 5, 6th of 6	16	4	4	8	16	21	[234]
2026	Canada Mexico United States										3rd of 4	6	1	3	2	5	8
2030	Morocco Portugal Spain	To be determined									To be determined
2034	Saudi Arabia
Total		N/A	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0/21	78	24	21	33	108	106

Lebanon's first qualification campaign for the Asian Cup came at the 1972 edition; drawn in Group B of the Western Zone, Lebanon came second thanks to a 3–2 victory over neighbors Syria and advanced to the next stage.^[235] In the decisive semi-final match against Iraq, Lebanon lost 4–1 and were knocked-out.^[235] Lebanon won a consolatory third-place match against Jordan.^[235]

The 2000 edition was Lebanon's first participation in the finals, when the country hosted the event.^[107] Following a 4–0 defeat to Iran in the competition's opening match,^[110] Lebanon came from behind to draw 2–2 against Iraq;^[110] Abbas Chahrour became Lebanon's first goalscorer in the competition.^[110] Lebanon drew once again, 1–1 against Thailand, and were eliminated, finishing last in the group.^[110]

After finishing the 2019 third round of qualification unbeaten, Lebanon qualified to the Asian Cup for the first time in their history. In the finals, Lebanon lost the first group stage match 2–0 to eventual champions Qatar,^[168] before losing once again by the same score to Saudi Arabia.^[172] In the final match of the group, Lebanon needed a win by four goals or more against North Korea to qualify to the knock-out stage.^[173] Despite conceding an early free-kick goal, Lebanon went on to win the match 4–1 thanks to a brace by Hilal El-Helwe.^[173] However, they lost out to Vietnam in the third-place ranking due to having received more yellow cards, and were knocked out of the competition.^[173]

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place  

AFC Asian Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	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	5	2	0	3	6	10	[235]
1976	Iran	Withdrew									Withdrew							[236]
1980	Kuwait	Did not qualify									3rd of 3	2	0	1	1	0	1	[237]
1984	Singapore	Withdrew									Withdrew							[92]
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	[104]
2000	Lebanon	Group stage	3	0	2	1	3	7	Squad		Qualified as hosts							[110]
2004	China	Did not qualify									3rd of 4	6	1	1	4	2	8	[115]
2007	Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Vietnam	Withdrew									Withdrew							[118]
2011	Qatar	Did not qualify									Preliminary round win, 4th of 4	8	2	1	5	8	14	[125]
2015	Australia										3rd of 4	6	2	2	2	12	14	[238]
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	[239]
2023	Qatar	Group stage	3	0	1	2	1	5	Squad		2nd of 5	6	3	1	2	11	8	[240]
2027	Saudi Arabia	Did not qualify									3rd of 4, 2nd of 4	12	5	4	3	19	10
Total		Group stage	9	1	3	5	8	17	—		3/19	63	25	14	24	91	81	—

Lebanon have taken part in all iterations of the Arab Cup, except the 1985 and 1992 editions. They hosted the inaugural edition in 1963, in a group containing Tunisia, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan.^[42] After beating Kuwait 6–0 through a hat-trick by Mardik Tchaparian,^[46] Lebanon lost 3–2 to Syria, before winning 5–0 against Jordan.^[42] In a decisive match against Tunisia, Muhieddine Itani scored an own goal, and Lebanon lost 1–0, finishing third.^[42]

Lebanon finished in fourth place in the subsequent two editions (1964 and 1966); ever since, they have failed to pass the group stage.^[241][242]

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place  

FIFA Arab Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1963	Lebanon	Third place	4	2	0	2	13	4	Squad		No qualifying tournament							[42]
1964	Kuwait	Fourth place	4	1	1	2	4	5	Squad									[241]
1966	Iraq	Fourth place	6	3	1	2	11	10	Squad									[242]
1985	Saudi Arabia	Did not qualify									Withdrew							—
1988	Jordan	Group stage	4	1	2	1	2	4	Squad	2nd of 3	2	0	1	1	1	2	[100]
1992	Syria	Did not enter									No qualifying tournament							—
1998	Qatar	Group stage	2	0	1	1	1	4	Squad	3rd of 4	3	1	0	2	3	4	[243]
2002	Kuwait	Group stage	4	1	1	2	5	7	Squad	No qualifying tournament							[244]
2009	Cancelled									2nd of 4	3	1	2	0	4	0	[245]
2012	Saudi Arabia	Group stage	3	0	1	2	1	4	Squad	No qualifying tournament							[246]
2021	Qatar	Group stage	3	1	0	2	1	3	Squad	Win	1	1	0	0	1	0	[247]
2025	Qatar	Did not qualify									Loss	1	0	0	1	1	2
2029	Qatar	To be determined									To be determined
2033	Qatar
Total		Third place	27	8	7	12	37	38	—	8/11	10	3	3	4	10	8	—

Bar the 2008 and 2010 editions, Lebanon have participated in every WAFF Championship; they have failed to qualify past the group stage on all occasions. Their first participation in the WAFF Championship was in 2000, at the inaugural edition.^[248] Drawn with Iraq, hosts Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon finished third in their group with one win, one draw, and one loss.^[248]

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place  

WAFF Championship record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
2000	Jordan	Group stage	3	1	1	1	3	2	Squad		No qualifying tournament							[248]
2002	Syria	Group stage	2	0	0	2	0	3	Squad									[249]
2004	Iran	Group stage	2	0	0	2	1	7	Squad									[250]
2007	Jordan	Group stage	2	0	0	2	0	4	Squad									[251]
2008	Iran	Did not enter																—
2010	Jordan	Did not enter																—
2012	Kuwait	Group stage	3	1	0	2	2	3	Squad	[252]
2013	Qatar	Group stage	2	0	1	1	0	2	Squad	[253]
2019	Iraq	Group stage	4	1	1	2	3	4	Squad	[254]
2026	Kuwait	To be determined																—
Total		Group stage	18	3	3	12	9	25	—	7/9	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Lebanon's senior team have never qualified to the Olympic Games final tournament; their first qualification campaign was for Rome 1960.^[255] After losing the first two group stage games against Iraq, Lebanon withdrew and the two remaining matches were awarded to their opponent Turkey.^[255] Lebanon participated in two more qualifications, 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich, failing to qualify to the final tournament on both occasions.^[76][77] Starting from the 1992 edition, the Olympic Football Tournament has been reserved for national under-23 teams.^[256]

  Gold    Silver    Bronze  

Olympic Games record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1900	Paris	Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1904	St. Louis																	—
1908	London																	—
1912	Stockholm																	—
1920	Antwerp																	—
1924	Paris																	—
1928	Amsterdam																	—
1936	Berlin																	—
1948	London																	—
1952	Helsinki																	—
1956	Melbourne																	—
1960	Rome	Withdrew									3rd of 3	4	0	0	4	0	15	[255]
1964	Tokyo										Withdrew							[257]
1968	Mexico City	Did not qualify									3rd of 6	5	2	1	2	18	9	[76]
1972	Munich										First round loss	3	1	0	2	2	3	[77]
1976	Montreal	Withdrew									Withdrew							[258]
1980	Moscow	Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1984	Los Angeles	Withdrew									Withdrew							[259]
1988	Seoul	Did not enter									Did not enter							—
1992–present	See Lebanon national under-23 football team										See Lebanon national under-23 football team							[260]
Total		N/A	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		0/19	12	3	1	8	20	27	—

The Lebanon national senior team only participated once at the Asian Games, at Bangkok 1998. Thanks to a 5–1 win against Cambodia, Lebanon qualified past the preliminary round and were drawn with Qatar, Thailand, and Kazakhstan in the second round.^[261] Following two 1–0 defeats, respectively to Qatar and Thailand, Lebanon won 3–0 against Kazakhstan in their final encounter of the group stage.^[261] However, the three points were not enough to qualify Lebanon to the knockout round.^[261]

  Gold    Silver    Bronze  

Asian Games record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1951	New Delhi	Did not enter									No qualifying tournament							—
1954	Manila																	—
1958	Tokyo																	—
1962	Jakarta																	—
1966	Bangkok																	—
1970	Bangkok																	—
1974	Tehran																	—
1978	Bangkok																	—
1982	New Delhi																	—
1986	Seoul																	—
1990	Beijing																	—
1994	Hiroshima																	—
1998	Bangkok	Group stage	5	2	0	3	9	7	Squad									[261]
2002–present	See Lebanon national under-23 football team										See Lebanon national under-23 football team							—
Total		Group stage	5	2	0	3	9	7	—		0/13	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

After participating in the inaugural edition of the Arab Games, at Alexandria 1953,^[262] Lebanon hosted the 1957 edition.^[29] Topping a group containing Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, Lebanon reached the semi-finals where they lost 4–2 to Tunisia.^[29] Due to Morocco withdrawing from the third-place match, Lebanon finished the tournament in third place.^[29] Lebanon also came third in 1997, once again as hosts.^[263] With two draws and a win, Lebanon came second in their group and qualified to the semi-finals, which they lost after extra time to Syria.^[263] Lebanon finished in third place after beating Kuwait 3–1.^[263]

  Gold    Silver    Bronze  

Arab Games record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1953	Alexandria	Group stage	3	1	1	1	1	4	Squad		No qualifying tournamnet							[262]
1957	Beirut	Third place	5	2	2	1	10	6	Squad									[29]
1961	Casablanca	Fourth place	5	2	0	3	13	9	Squad									[264]
1965	Cairo	Group stage	4	1	1	2	4	7	Squad									[265]
1976	Damascus	Did not enter																—
1985	Rabat																	—
1992	Aleppo																	—
1997	Beirut	Third place	5	2	2	1	9	7	Squad									[263]
1999	Amman	Second stage	5	2	1	2	6	9	Squad									[266]
2007	Cairo	Did not enter																—
2011	Doha																	—
2023–present	See Lebanon national under-23 football team										See Lebanon national under-23 football team							—
Total		Third place	27	10	7	10	43	42	—		6/11	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Lebanon's first participation at the Mediterranean Games was in 1959, when they hosted the event.^[32] They lost both legs against Italy and Turkey, finishing last with no points.^[32] Lebanon's senior team participated two more times, in 1963 and 1987, failing to qualify past the group stage on both occasions.^[267][97]

  Gold    Silver    Bronze  

Mediterranean Games record											Qualification record
Year	Host	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1951	Alexandria	Did not enter									No qualifying tournament							—
1955	Barcelona																	—
1959	Beirut	Third place	4	0	0	4	1	2	Squad									[32]
1963	Naples	Group stage	4	1	0	3	2	7	Squad									[267]
1967	Tunis	Did not enter																—
1971	İzmir																	—
1975	Algiers																	—
1979	Split																	—
1983	Casablanca																	—
1987	Latakia	Group stage	3	0	1	2	1	7	Squad									[97]
1991–1997	See Lebanon national under-23 football team										See Lebanon national under-23 football team							—
Total		Third place	11	1	1	9	4	16	—		3/10	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Lebanon won their first tournament—albeit unofficial—at the 1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament; with three wins and one draw, Lebanon finished first in a group containing Libya, Morocco, Sudan, and Malta.^[51] In 1998, Lebanon participated at the Friendship Tournament in the United Arab Emirates where, with two draws and a defeat, they finished in third place out of four.^[268] Lebanon also finished in third place at the 2009 King's Cup in Thailand; after losing to the hosts in the semi-finals, they won against North Korea in the third-place match.^[269] Between 2023 and 2024, Lebanon participated in several friendly tournaments, finishing runners-up in the 2023 Intercontinental Cup^[187] and the 2024 Merdeka Tournament,^[270] and in third place in the 2023 King's Cup.^[189]

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place  

Tournament	Host	Position	Ref.
1964 Tripoli Fair Tournament	Libya	Champions	[51]
1974 Kuneitra Cup	Syria	Group stage	[271]
1975 President's Cup	South Korea	Group stage	[272]
1978 President's Cup	South Korea	Group stage	[273]
1989 Peace and Friendship Cup	Kuwait	Group stage	[274]
1998 Friendship Tournament	United Arab Emirates	Third place	[268]
2009 King's Cup	Thailand	Third place	[269]
2009 Nehru Cup	India	Group stage	[275]
2023 Intercontinental Cup	India	Runners-up	[187]
2023 SAFF Championship	India	Semi-finals	[188]
2023 King's Cup	Thailand	Third place	[189]
2024 Merdeka Tournament	Malaysia	Runners-up	[270]