The Lebanese FA announced that the Lebanese Elite and Challenge Cup, due to start on the 22nd of August, is cancelled, while the start of the Lebanese Premier League, initially scheduled on the 19th of September, is postponed for a later date.
The official motivation behind this decision is the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of stadiums and other sporting facilities by the government, but there are also other reasons. The Elite and Challenge Cup was initially scheduled to start on the 29th of July, and it was postponed for the 22nd of August because of the measures taken by the government to fight off the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, on the 4th of August, a huge explosion shattered the Port of Beirut and damaged extensively the city of Beirut, with hundreds of victims and thousands of wounded. The explosion added to the economic and political crisis of the country, and was followed by street protests and increased political instability, with the government eventually resigning. In the meantime, the number of COVID-19 cases increased.
The political and economic situation in Lebanon is critical, and health-related issues, especially linked to COVID-19 and the Beirut explosion, makes everything worse, approaching collapse. In these difficult circumstances, there seems to be no more place for football, at least for now.
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