The FIFA World Cup is an event that comes every four years and unifies the people of Lebanon for a month. Streets are littered with flags and the joyful sound of joy fills the streets.
Here are 11 things you will see in Lebanon during this World Cup season.
Flags in varieties
The streets of Lebanon are filled with various flags showing support for their preferred football team. Whether it’s on windows or walls or cars or hanging from building to building, you are bound to see various foreign flags at every corner.
Excessive honking on the streets
Lebanon has always been famous for its excessive angry honking. This World Cup season, however, causes drivers to honk their car horns in celebration.
Full Cafes
There is no better way to watch the World Cup than to grab a group of friends and sit in one of the many cafes the country has to offer. A lemonade or a beer in hand and a big screen in front of you is the jolliest way to watch the matches. And that’s how the Lebanese love to enjoy the World Cup!
Football shirts
Did you not hear? The dress code is strictly football shirts during this time. Much like the flags, everywhere you look you are bound to see someone wearing a shirt with the logo and colors of the team playing that night.
Dads yelling at the TV
Nothing is louder than the sound of a Lebanese dad watching a match. Prepare to hear insults, along with “YALA YALA YALA”, or, the classic “GOAAAAL” being screamed at the TV.
World Cup Master Chips
The World Cup-themed Master Chips are essential if you want to show support for your team while enjoying some flavorsome and salty goodness!
Excessive World Cup posts
If you are in Lebanon, your social media pages have probably been filled with loads of content about the World Cup.
Ranging from posts about who won tonight’s match or showing appreciation for some of the iconic players, you likely come across World Cup content at least a dozen times every day during this exciting month.
World Cup offers
The World Cup becomes the gift that keeps on giving in Lebanon. Offers of gifts and discounts and deals from businesses fill social media (marketing teams get very busy) and the Lebanese love it!
Kahraba
Lebanon’s lack of electricity will not get in the way of watching four matches a day, even if it means paying more for one natour to turn on the generator for you to enjoy the 6 pm game.
Calling plans off
World Cup matches have taken up being a priority in the Lebanese everyday lives this month. You or your friends have probably canceled plans to stay home and watch the match, haven’t you?
Heated debates
Probably the only time the Lebanese forget about politics is during the World Cup events as their usual heated debates switch from politics to sports and favorite players and teams.
Fireworks or…
And the Lebanese sinister game of “is it gunshots or fireworks?” comes along as the sky lights up with either fireworks or …. gunshots in celebration.