Lebanese Football Association

The Lebanese Football Association (LFA; Arabic: الاتحاد اللبناني لكرة القدم, romanized: Al-Ittiḥād Al-Lubnānī Likurat Al-Qadam; French: Fédération Libanaise de Football) is the governing body of association football in Lebanon. Formed in 1933, it is a member of both FIFA and the AFC. It is also one of the founding members of the WAFF, joining in its inception in 2001.

Lebanese Football Association

AFC
Short name	LFA
Founded	22 March 1933; 92 years ago (1933-03-22)
Headquarters	Beirut
Location	Lebanon
FIFA affiliation	1936
AFC affiliation	1964
WAFF affiliation	2001
President	Hachem Haidar
Website	the-lfa.com.lb (in Arabic)

History

In 1931 Khalil Hilmi, a member of Riyadi Beirut, attempted to form a federation.^[1] However, the proposal failed as Nahda opposed its formation.^[1] On 22 March 1933, representatives of thirteen football clubs gathered in the Minet El Hosn district in Beirut to form the Lebanese Football Association (LFA).^[2] Hussein Sejaan was the LFA's first president.^[3] Lebanon was one of the first nations in the Middle East to establish an administrative body for association football.^[a][4] The LFA joined FIFA in 1936 and the AFC in 1964.^[5] In 2001, the LFA joined the WAFF as one of its founding members.^[6]

In 1985, in the midst of the Lebanese Civil War, the LFA was divided into two administrations: Western, headed by Nabil Al Raei, and Eastern, headed by Hamid Khoury.^[7] FIFA froze Lebanon's membership until 5 February 1987, when FIFA president Sepp Blatter sent a telex letter to the LFA recognizing the elections of 2 May 1985, which had elected Al Raei as the LFA president.^[7]

Principals

As of 6 April 2020^[8]

President Name Tenure Hussein Sejaan 1934–1935 Pierre Gemayel 1935–1939 Fouad Ammoun 1939 Jamil Sawaya 1939–1942 Gabriel Jamil 1942–1944 Bahij Salem 1944–1946 Nassif Majdalani 1946–1949 Fouad Chamoun 1949–1955 Izzat Al Turk 1955–1958 Pierre Edde 1958–1962 George Dabbas 1962–1964 Albert Kheir 1964–1967 Hamid Khoury 1967–1985 Nabil Al Raei 1985–2001 Hachem Haidar 2001–present

General Secretary Name Tenure Elie Bakhaze 1944–1946 Izzat Al Turk 1946–1967 Joseph Nalbandian 1967–1985 Raheef Alameh 1985–2001 Bahij Bou Hamzah 2001–2005 Raheef Alameh 2005–2012 Jihad El Chohof 2012–present

Board of directors

As of 11 December 2023^[9][10][11]

Position	Name
President	Hachem Haidar
Vice President	Raymond Semaan
General Secretary	Jihad El Chohof
Treasurer	Mahmoud El Rabaah
Technical Director	Bassem Mohamad
National Coach Men	Miodrag Radulović
National Coach Women	Wael Gharzeddine
Referee Coordinator	Talaat Najm
Futsal Coordinator	Semaan Douaihy

See also

• Lebanon national football team
• Lebanese Premier League
• Lebanese FA Cup
• Lebanese Federation Cup
• 2013 Lebanese match fixing scandal

Notes

1. The FA's of Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and Israel are older.