Night envelops Chardja, a vast urban strip wedged between the sea and the desert, an extension of Dubai. But the heat has not left the place: autumn in the United Arab Emirates would, in other latitudes, have an air of summer. The lights of the Khalid Bin Mohammed stadium cut through the dark sky, flags flap in the wind and the stands are empty, the place is calm. It’s almost 6 p.m. this Thursday, November 16, and it’s hard to believe that in a few minutes a meeting between Lebanon and Palestine, as part of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the Asia zone, will begin.
However, the referees, the eleven Palestinian players and their opponents of the day did not take long to advance onto the pitch. Lebanon is officially the host, but the war in the Middle East pushed FIFA to relocate the match to the small emirate of Chardja. The protocol follows its course: anthems, handshakes, exchange of pennants. It ends with the two teams meeting face to face in the central circle and an announcement from the stadium announcer. “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and observe a minute of silence for the victims of war, particularly in Gaza. »
The stadium returns to peace, time to pay homage to the dead – around 14,000 people, according to figures provided by the Hamas-administered Ministry of Health, Wednesday November 22. The moment reminds us that the issue of the evening, for the Palestinians, goes well beyond sport. “This match is very important for ussummarizes Mahmoud Wadi, the 28-year-old center forward. We must win, it is essential. We must do this because our people in Palestine, especially in Gaza, are suffering. We have to do something to help them, that’s what’s important to us. »
The sound of war
At 1.88 meters tall, the tall brunette, sometimes nicknamed “the tower”, doesn’t lead far. Born in Khan Younes, in the south of Gaza, he is undoubtedly one of the players most affected by the war: his entire family – his mother, his brothers and sisters – live in the Palestinian enclave, shelled by the Israeli army in retaliation for the Hamas attacks of October 7 which caused the death of 1,200 people, according to the Israeli authorities. “They are doing well, but I don’t know what the future holds for them”, he worries after leaving training, the day before the match. Mahmoud Wadi regularly tries to contact his loved ones by telephone. “Internet and electricity work poorly there. Whenever I get the chance, I try to call them. »
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