Why the Qasioun Eagles have played every home game abroad since 2011
In short: Known as the Qasioun Eagles, the Syrian national football team has navigated decades of regional competition and World Cup qualification attempts. Despite winning the 2012 WAFF Championship, the team has been forced to play all home matches on foreign soil for over a decade due to the ongoing Syrian civil war.
The Syrian Arab Federation for Football, founded in 1936, oversees a team with a complex history of regional triumphs and near-misses. While the nation has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup, it came close in 2018, reaching the fourth qualification round. The team’s international journey began in earnest with its first official match in 1942, a 2–1 victory against Lebanon in Beirut. Throughout the mid-20th century, the squad participated in various regional tournaments, including the Arab Games and the Mediterranean Games, where they secured a notable victory against France in 1987.
The team’s performance has often been defined by its resilience in regional championships. In 2012, Syria achieved a significant milestone by winning the WAFF Championship, defeating Iraq 1–0 with a decisive goal from Ahmad Al Saleh. This victory was so significant that national television interrupted regular programming to broadcast the trophy presentation live. However, this success occurred against the backdrop of severe instability. Since 2011, FIFA has banned the team from hosting matches at home, a direct consequence of the Syrian civil war, which has forced the squad to adapt to a nomadic existence in international football.
Beyond the civil war, the team’s history is marked by administrative and geopolitical hurdles. In the 1966 World Cup qualifiers, Syria joined an Asian and African boycott to protest FIFA’s decision to allocate only one qualifying spot to both continents. Later, in the 2014 World Cup qualification cycle, the team faced disqualification for fielding an ineligible player. Despite these setbacks, the Qasioun Eagles remain a fixture in regional football, having participated in multiple AFC Asian Cup tournaments and consistently competing in the West Asian Football Championship, reflecting a persistent commitment to the sport despite profound domestic challenges.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Syria national football team
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