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.
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]
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Hachem Haidar
Aleksandar Ilić
