Many Lebanese not able to watch World Cup matches
Many Lebanese have been dismayed by the news that the 2022 FIFA World Cup will not be broadcast on the public channel Tele Liban due to financial difficulties.
BEIRUT — While FIFA World Cup fever has also reached Lebanon, with streets, cars and social media pages awash with the national teams’ flags and players’ photos, many Lebanese are having a hard time watching the games and cheering on their favorite teams.
The Lebanese government has failed to negotiate the broadcasting of the World Cup on the public channel Tele Liban, citing difficulties in settling payments. This is not to mention the costly private TV channel subscriptions to the matches, which many Lebanese cannot afford.
“I am obsessed with the World Cup, but I am not watching any games because it is not being broadcast on Tele Liban,” Hiba Hakwati, a 36-year-old housewife, told Al-Monitor.
She said, “I did not subscribe to any other channel that is broadcasting the games because I have priorities, and everything has become so expensive in Lebanon. My young daughter has a problem with her eyes and needs several surgeries. I am also pregnant with another baby girl.”
