Even football has become mired in Lebanon’s political and economic crises

IT SHOULD HAVEUAEFIFA,, been a moment for national excitement. Lebanon has never reached the final stages of the World Cup before, but its national squad has made it to the third round of qualifiers for next year’s tournament in Qatar. Last month they netted a crucial win against Syria. Going into two matches this month, against Iran and the United Arab Emirates (), the Cedars seemed to have a fighting chance of making the play-offs. Instead of revelry, though, the contests offered a reminder of how much has gone wrong in a country mired in political and economic crises.Start with the timing. The fixtures could not be at prime time in the evening, because enough electricity could not be guaranteed to keep the stadium lit. Then football’s global governing body barred fans from the stands, citing security. Some would have struggled to make the trip anyway, since petrol prices have risen tenfold in the past two years.