Beirut — People in several Middle Eastern countries have gathered to watch matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which began in June and runs through July, as the tournament has drawn attention amid ongoing regional conflicts.

The event follows the qualification of eight Arab teams — Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia — alongside Muslim‑majority nations such as Iran, Senegal and Uzbekistan. None of the teams reached the semifinals.

In Baghdad, dozens of attendees assembled at the Babylon Rotana Hotel to view Iraq's first World Cup appearance in 40 years, according to Hussein Mohammed, a dentist who was a child during Iraq's last participation in 1986. "That’s why Iraq’s return to the World Cup is not just about football. It is a message that the country still exists and is capable of rising again," he said.

Because of the time difference, watch parties have been held in the evenings in hookah cafes. In Gaza, Israeli attacks have damaged neighborhoods, and Fadl Arafat, who owns Time Cafe in southern Gaza City, rebuilt the venue after damage in 2024 using salvaged materials, including furniture, metal sheets and hookah pipes. He relies on a private generator to power a large‑screen TV, but power outages sometimes interrupt matches, he said. "Before the war, broadcasting football was simple," he said. "Now, I worry about power cuts breaking the TV and refrigerator, and every day is about finding ways to keep the business running."

The cafe has become a community hub for people who can afford a night out, he added. Mohammad Salman, 76, said watching football helps him forget the difficult reality in Gaza, while Tareq Al‑Jadba, 26, said electricity shortages prevent him from watching at home and he ventures to cafes when possible, fearing nearby strikes.

In Israel, support for Argentina is widespread heading into the final, partly because Argentine President Javier Milei has expressed strong support for Israel, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has criticized the country, according to political observers. International politics also surfaced in other ways: Iran’s soccer federation complained about team treatment after staying in Mexico despite scheduled games in the United States, and Algeria’s team received a warm welcome in Lawrence, Kansas, praised by fans and Algerian media.

In Lebanon, where conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands displaced, people set aside political differences during games, according to local reports. Cheers were heard in Beirut when major teams scored, and small victory motorcades appeared in the streets. Graciela Kair, 25, wrapped in a Brazilian flag, said she supported Brazil because of her Lebanese‑Venezuelan heritage, noting the geographic proximity of Venezuela and Brazil.

William Dobson, a British pub owner in Beirut, said the World Cup has seen less fervor than in previous cycles due to war‑related exhaustion and recent years of disruption. "Soccer recedes into the background in the face of sheer exhaustion," he said.

Inflation and unemployment have risen, according to government and United Nations data, leading many to cut back on nights out. Nevertheless, when Egypt played Argentina earlier this month, patrons at Dobson’s Black Sheep pub said the match restored a sense of normalcy.

In Gaza, hundreds of fans unable to afford cafes watched the match outdoors among rubble, hoisting Egyptian flags between buildings, Arafat said. "A football match concerning our brothers the Egyptians concerns us more than any other country," he said.

Saad Abdul Amir, an Iraqi fan, said reaching the games represents a collective moment of pride that makes Iraqis feel part of the normal world again, he said.

Shamalakh reported from Cairo and Salim from Baghdad.