Category: Men’s Futsal

Lebanon’s history in continental tournaments

Yesterday, Lebanon failed to qualify for it’s first ever FIFA World Cup when its futsal national team was knocked out due to the “away goal” rule after drawing 0-0 and 1-1 respectively vs Vietnam.

As hard as it can be, this defeat left a soury taste in the mouth of the Lebanese fans as they felt this time it was closer than ever. In it’s history, Lebanon has failed to qualify to a FIFA or AFC tournament 30 times while participating in those tournaments 19 times (Hosting the tournament do not count).

The men’s football national team has tried to qualify to a FIFA world cup 8 times, withdrawing once (1986) and failing 7 times (from 1994 until 2018). the same team also tried to qualify 10 times to the AFC Asian Cup, withdrawing 3 times (1976, 1984 and 2007), failing in 6 campaigns (1972, 1980, 1996, 2004, 2011, 2015) and suceeding once in 2019.

On the other hand, the women’s football team had less tries but all went badly. Our women’s have failed to qualify to the 2015 and 2019 (withdrew) FIFA World Cup. The team also failed to qualify to 2 Asian Cup editions in 2014 and 2018 (withdrew).

The futsal men’s national team is a regular team in the AFC Asian Cup, participating in every edition since 2003 (11 in total). The top 5 finishers in the Asian Cup qualify to the World Cup but we never finished in the top 5 (7 times in the top 8). 2020 Asian Cup was cancelled that’s why there was the play-off tie.

The women’s futsal national team has participated in one Asian Cup (2018) as there was no qualifications. This national team never tried to qualify to a tournament.

The final sport under FIFA’s juridiction is beach soccer. Our men’s national team failed to qualify to the World Cup 4 times (From 2013 until 2019) while qualifying to the 5 last edition of the Asian Cup.

How to determine the winner from the play-off games?

Updated at: 23-5-2021 11:33 AM

Lebanon will face Vietnam over two legs on 23 and 25 May. The winners will qualify for the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania.

What’s the system of the playoff?

The Asian Play-offs will be played in two legs, with each pairing played in a home and away knockout format. In our case, the first match is considered to be played away and the second one at home.

Obviously, the team that scores the highest aggregate of goals over the two legs will qualify. In case both teams scored the same number of goals, the away rule applies.

If there’s still nothing to seperate both teams, 2 halves of extra time, each is 5 minutes long, will be played to determine the winner. Penalty kick should follow if both teams stay tied (away rule do not apply in extra time).

The futsal national team chases the World Cup dream

Lebanon will face Vietnam in two play-off games on May 23 and May 25 in the United Arab Emirates. The winner will qualify to the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania.

The Lebanese Football Association is trying to strengthen the national team in the limited time they have. The experienced Spanish coach Ramiro was appointed as the new national team coach.

In addition to the new coach, the three pilars of the National Team are expected to re-join the team: Ali “Sisi” Tneich, Karim Abou Zeid and Ahmad Kheireddine.

Due to the economic crisis, Sisi came back to football and joined Nejmeh this season, Karim Abouzeid left the game and went to Africa while Ahmad Kheireddine went to play in Iraq.

The issue is that Sisi got injured in the last game of the season. According to El Maestro, he isn’t healing as fast as expected, therefore his presence in the play-offs isn’t guaranteed.

Coach Ramiro would like to be able to count on all three of them. Their presence is a huge moral and technical boost for all of the team.

New coach for the futsal national team

To reach the world cup in Lithuania, the Lebanese futsal selection has to win against Vietnam in the play-off qualifiers.

The Lebanese Football Association has decided to appoint coach Ramiro Lopez Diaz as head coach, according to source close to FA Lebanon.

The Spanish coach has spent most of his career in Italy. He won the Italian Cup in 2010. He also coached in Kuwait, winning the local league in 2017.

Lebanon will play their qualifiers on 20 and 25 may 2021.

Lebanon’s futsal qualifiers opponent revealed

Asia has 5 spots for the upcoming futsal world cup in September 2021 in Lithuania.

IR Iran, Japan and Uzbekistan were nominated as the AFC’s direct representatives while the other two spots will be decided by play-off matches between Iraq, Lebanon, Thailand and Vietnam.

Lebanon, who are 40th in the world ranking, has been drawn against Vietnam, who are 44th. The play-offs are to be played on 20 and 25 May 2021.

Lebanon’s road to the world cup!

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the AFC announced the cancellation of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup on 25 January 2021. The top five teams of the tournament would have qualified for the the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Up in Lithuania from September 12 to October 3.

The AFC have announced today that Japan, the Uzbekistan and the IR Iran will represent Asia in the World Cup with 2 other spots to be decided via a play off between 4 teams; Iraq, Lebanon, Thailand and Vietnam.

The format of the play-offs as well as the time and place of the play-offs will be announced by the AFC in the near future.

Lebanon to play in the FIFA World Cup tournament?

According to Alisher Nikimbaev, Lebanon might play the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup. The qualifications were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has to choose who could represent the continent.

Alisher Nikimbaev wrote that the AFC has proposed two options to determine who will represent Asia in the 2021 Futsal World Cup in Lithuania.

The first proposition is to base the choice on the results of the 2018 Asian Cup. Therefore, these will participate in the upcoming event:

🇮🇷 Iran
🇯🇵 Japan
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
🇮🇶 Iraq
🇱🇧 Lebanon

The second option is to determine the best teams in terms of points aggregate over the last three Asian Cups. Therefore:

🇮🇷 Iran 290
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 250
🇯🇵 Japan 230
🇹🇭 Thailand 190
🇻🇳 Vietnam 150

Members of the futsal and beach soccer committee must vote on one of the two options by March 30. The decision itself will be announced in early April.

As announced earlier by FA Lebanon, the Lebanese Football Association is doing a great work in order to fulfill this huge dream — first ever participation of Lebanon in a FIFA World Cup tournament.

Will the AFC Futsal Championship be played this summer?

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the AFC Futsal Championship was postponed and the host was changed. In late December, a source told us that the competition which was scheduled to take place in Kuwait between March 23 and April 3, 2021 might be cancelled.

Some countries and especially Kuwait argued that this decision was unfair especially in the case of the following scenario: the idea is that the AFC will select 5 countries to represent Asia in the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021™ , 12 September – 3 October.

According to our sources, the AFC might decide to postpone again the competition, this time in summer! The Asian countries will therefore be able to have a decent preparation for the World Cup.

AFC Futsal championship might be cancelled

Due to the pandemic, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decide this week to cancel the youth continental competitions.

Many observers are afraid that the next step from the AFC is to cancel the continental competitions of Futsal and Beach Soccer this year. Kuwaiti Futsal specialist Fahaad Al Muneer is categoric: the AFC Futsal Championship is cancelled. Rumors about the cancellation of the AFC Futsal and Beach Soccer Championships.

https://twitter.com/fahaadalmuneer/status/1344752263835881472

But nothing official from the AFC or the Kuwait federation was yet pronounced.

The AFC Futsal Championship 2021 is scheduled to be staged in Kuwait from March 23 to April 3, 2021. The top five teams of the tournament will qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021.

22 players called-up to the Futsal national team

22 players were called-up by Paco Araujo for the Lebanese Futsal National Team training.

The players are:
Hassan Chehab (Ghobeiry Municipality)
Georgio “Gio” Khoury (Ghobeiry Municipality)
Majed Hamouch (Ghobeiry Municipality)
Hassan Rahel (Ghobeiry Municipality)
Hussein El Baba (Army)
Mohamad Othman (Army)
Ali AlAkoumi (Army)
Abbas Ezzedine (Army)
Mohammad Hammoud (Beirut Stars)
Karim Joueidi (Beirut Stars)
Mario Abou Jaoude (Beirut Stars)
Hussein Hamadani (Horriyeh Saida)
Ali Hachem (Horriyeh Saida)
Victor Hanna (Jounieh)
Jamal Salwan (Jounieh)
Hassan Alame (Houmine Fawqa)
Mohammad Baydoun (General Security)
John Jabbour (Abnaa Chekka)
Bassel Ghassani (Jnoub Riyadi)
Jad Yammine (Tripoli)
Joseph Daou (Andaket)
Antonio Fares (AUST).

The AFC Futsal Championship 2021 is scheduled to be staged in Kuwait from March 23 to April 3, 2021.

The top five teams of the tournament will qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021.

Lebanon has been drawn in a tough group with Japan (ranked 2nd in Asia), Kyrzyg Republic (ranked 7th in Asia), Kuwait (ranked 8th in Asia).