RIYADH: Lebanon’s journey in the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia may have ended early, but after being drawn in a group alongside two former champions, progression on their tournament debut would always be a challenge.

And despite elimination, head coach Jamal Taha and his players believe the experience points towards a promising future for Lebanese football.

With Lebanon set to feature at the AFC Asian Cup Saudi 2027 in under 12 months, the U-23 tournament served as an important platform for the next generation to stake their claim ahead of the senior tournament. They might not have advanced to the knockout stage, but the Cedars put in a string of impressive performances that suggests they can compete at continental level.

Lebanon opened their campaign with a narrow 3-2 defeat to Uzbekistan, one of the competition’s most successful nations, before a late 4-2 defeat to South Korea that saw them lead for substantial portions of the game. They concluded their participation with a 1-0 victory over Iran.

Midfielder Danny Istanbouli, who plays college football with Sacred Heart Pioneers in the US, reflected positively on the experience.

“Being put in one of the toughest groups is not ideal, but I think we showed great perseverance as a team,” he told Arab News.

“The U-23 Asian Cup has been one of the highest levels I have ever played. You face players who are playing for top professional clubs in their country, which is certainly a great experience. You can see the level is super high with them.”

That sentiment was echoed by Jad Smaira, who currently plays for Cypriot side Achyronas-Onisilos.

“Many players from the under-23 team have shown that they have the capabilities to make the step up to the senior national team,” said Smaira. “It’s also a chance for us to promote Lebanese football as we aim to become a strong footballing nation in Asia.”

Looking ahead, head coach Jamal Taha stressed the importance of this tournament as the final stage for many at youth level.

“Despite the results, this participation is good for the national team, because it will be the last time these players perform at an under-23 level,” he said. “Now, it’s a chance for them to learn and look forward to participating with the senior national team.”

When asked what Lebanese football needed to progress further, Taha believes there is a lot to learn from the tournament hosts.

“Ultimately, football is a structure. You need to start from the grassroots, ground zero. We have a lot to learn from the experiences of countries like Saudi Arabia, so we can see our nation in a much better position over the next ten years,” he said.

Seven out of 23 players in the Lebanese U-23 national team are currently based overseas, with the remainder representing clubs in the Lebanese First Division. For the majority, the tournament in Saudi Arabia was a new experience.

“I think the environment here was excellent,” Istanbouli said. “It will be incredible for the senior team to play here next year, and I can only imagine how great it would be when the stadiums are packed with thousands of fans cheering for Lebanon.”

Smaira also praised both on-field and off-field aspects of the tournament: “The facilities were a 10 out of 10. The hotel was amazing, but also the people that helped us here were great. We’re very grateful for the amazing hospitality.”

Saudi Arabia’s growing role in continental and global football, combined with the rising standard of the Asian game, has seen many players of Middle Eastern origin return from Europe and the Americas to ply their trade back home.

“Asia has become very interesting, even for players in Europe,” Smaira said. “There are a lot of big clubs in Asia, with a lot of financial capability, and I know many players in Europe who would love to come play in Asia.”

While the quality on the pitch has seen a clear shift for the better, Taha believes Saudi Arabia’s long-term advantage lies in the way in its football ecosystem is managed.

“Here, you feel that there’s people who have experience — they know what they’re doing. We feel it in the stadiums. We feel it when we arrive, we feel it when we’re at the hotel. I think we’re going to see something better than that in 2027,” he told Arab News.

With the AFC U-23 Asian Cup concluding on Jan. 24, the countdown to Saudi 2027 has already begun. Lebanon will take part in the AFC Asian Cup for the fourth time, having already featured as hosts in 2000, before qualifying for the 2019 and 2023 editions.

A sizeable Lebanese community resides in the Kingdom, and Smaira is eager to play in front of them once again.

“I want to thank them for the support they showed us during this tournament,” he said. “We felt it, we read the messages, and it meant a lot. Hopefully, we can give them back something special in 2027.”