World Cup fan zone opens in Lebanon as war continues
Al Jazeera reported that influencer Bilal Haddad organized the Rmeileh gathering, where hundreds watched football with food trucks and family activities.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Hundreds of people gathered in Rmeileh near Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup while Israel’s war on Lebanon continues, according to Al Jazeera. The gathering matters because it offered a public place for families and football fans to step away, briefly, from the strain of conflict.
Al Jazeera reported that Lebanese influencer Bilal Haddad organized the viewing area. The event brought together football screening with food trucks, shisha and activities for families, creating a fan zone around the tournament.
The report described the setting as a rare chance for people to relax during the war. It did not give further details on the specific match being shown, the length of the event or security arrangements at the site.
Rmeileh, identified by Al Jazeera as being by Sidon Gate, became the backdrop for a scene that mixed ordinary tournament rituals with the circumstances of wartime Lebanon. The World Cup has long drawn communal viewing crowds across the region, and Al Jazeera’s report said this event drew hundreds despite the ongoing conflict.
Haddad’s role, as reported by Al Jazeera, was to organize the fan zone rather than a formal sporting competition. The attraction was the shared screening experience: people could watch the World Cup, eat from food trucks, smoke shisha and bring children to activities in the same location.
Al Jazeera correspondent Justin Salhani visited the event for the network’s report. The segment was published on June 20, 2026.
The report did not include casualty figures, official statements or details about the wider military situation. Its focus was the public gathering itself and the way some residents used the World Cup as a brief social outlet while the war continued.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.