Football is the most popular sport in Lebanon. It was introduced to Lebanon in the late-19th century, becoming particularly popular among teachers and students Christian schools. The Lebanese Football Association (LFA) was formed in 1933 as one of the earliest administrative bodies for association football in the Middle East. The Lebanon national team made its unofficial debut in 1935 against Romanian club CA Timișoara (T.A.C.), while their first official FIFA game was in 1940 against Mandatory Palestine.
The Syria national football team represents Syria in international football, and is controlled by the Syrian Arab Federation for Football, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria has never qualified for the World Cup finals, but did reach the fourth qualification round in 2018. The team is currently banned by FIFA from playing at home, as they have not hosted a game since December 2010. Internationally, Syria won the 2012 WAFF Championship, 1957 Arab Games, 1987 Mediterranean Games and the 2024 intercontinental cup.
Al Ahed Football Club is a football club based in Ouzai, a district in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Lebanese Premier League, the top flight of Lebanese football. The club was founded in 1964 as Al Ahed Al Jadeed, initially starting in the Third Division before reaching the Premier League for the first time in 1996.
Fadi El Khatib, nicknamed the "Lebanese Tiger", and "Abu Jihad" is a Lebanese former professional basketball player. El Khatib played for several teams in the Lebanese Basketball League, and also played abroad in Syria, Ukraine and China. He was also a member of the Lebanon national team that finished runners-up in the FIBA Asia Championship three times, in 2001, 2005 and 2007. El Khatib also participated in the FIBA World Championship in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Joseph Vogel is an American-Lebanese former basketball player.
Homenetmen Beirut, or simply Homenetmen, is the basketball department of Homenetmen, a Lebanese-Armenian multi-sports club based in Beirut, Lebanon. The club was established in 1924 in Beirut and is part of the worldwide pan-Armenian Homenetmen association. Homenetmen Beirut won its first Lebanese League Championship in 2018.
Walter Wallace Hodge Muñoz is a Puerto Rican-U.S. Virgin Islander professional basketball player for Zastal Zielona Góra of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). Internationally, Hodge plays with the senior U.S. Virgin Islands national basketball team, due to eligibility arising from his Virgin Islander grandfather. After being a reserve point guard in his first two seasons with the Florida Gators, he became the starting point guard for the two-time defending national champions in the 2007–08 season. On June 5, 2013, in appreciation for his contribution to Zielona Góra, his jersey number was retired.
Elmedin Kikanović is a Bosnian professional basketball player for Al Riyadi Club Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League. He has also played for his country's national basketball team.
Al Riyadi Club Beirut, commonly known simply as Al Riyadi, is a multi-sports club team based in Manara, a district in Beirut, Lebanon. Founded in 1934, the multi-sports club, which is mainly known for their basketball program, also plays ping-pong, martial arts, and other sports.
Because of Lebanon's geography, both summer and winter sports are engaged in in the country. During autumn and spring it is sometimes possible to engage in both activities on the same day; for example, skiing in the morning and swimming in the afternoon.
The Lebanese Basketball League is recognized as the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB).
Ali Mahmoud, sometimes nicknamed Ali Mack, is a Lebanese-Canadian professional basketball player for Beirut Club of the Lebanese Basketball League (LBL).
Nejmeh Sporting Club is a football club based in Manara, a neighbourhood in Ras Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Lebanese Premier League.
Jalaa Sporting Club, also known as Jeunesse Sportivo Alep (Shabibeh), is a Syrian basketball club based in the city of Aleppo. They compete in the Syrian Basketball League, and have qualified for the Asian Champions Cup on four occasions, with its best finish in 2006 and 2007, where they finished second on both occasions.
Women's football in Lebanon officially began in 2005, with the creation of the Lebanese Women's Football (LWF). Despite the prejudice women have faced for playing football, the sport's popularity has risen since the late 2010s. Indeed, Lebanon has achieved significant success within the West Asia region.
Hayk Gyokchyan is a Lebanese professional basketball player. He currently plays for Al Riyadi Club Beirut in the Lebanese Basketball League.
Wael Arakji is a Lebanese basketball player for Al-Arabi of the Qatari Basketball League. He is nicknamed "the Fearsome".
Ismail Ahmed Abdelmoneim, also known as Somaa, is an Egyptian-Lebanese professional basketball player for Al Riyadi Club Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League. He was a main member of the Egypt national basketball team that participated in the FIBA Africa Championship 2001 in Casablanca in Morocco and in the FIBA Africa Championship 2003 that took place in Alexandria, Egypt. He is nicknamed "The Egyptian Pharaoh".
Stars Association for Sports, or simply SAS, is a women's football club section of the similarly-named sports academy, based in Aley, Lebanon. Founded in 2011 as Stars Academy for Sports, they have competed in the Lebanese Women's Football League since 2014.
The 2022–23 Lebanese Basketball League, also known as the Division 1, is the 27th season of the Lebanese Basketball League (LBL), the top-tier competition for professional men's teams in Lebanon. The season began on 2 October 2022.
