This past December 9, Syria was drawn in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying group alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, the draw, held in Kuala Lumpur, was marked by a broader historical context: on the same day, Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus for Moscow, putting an end to a dictatorship that had lasted more than 50 years. This change has generated a sense of uncertainty in the sport, but also optimism at the possibility of football helping to unite a country deeply scarred by civil war.

Since the start of the conflict in 2011, which has left more than 500,000 dead and millions displaced, football in Syria has reflected the divisions in society. “As the nation fractured, so did the national team,” Bernd Stange, a former Syria coach between 2018 and 2019, recalled to ‘The Guardian’. During that period, there were players who fought on various armed sides and others who opposed the regime. This context made it difficult to focus exclusively on sports and to unite the team.

CHANGES IN THE SYRIAN NATIONAL TEAM

Hours after Assad’s departure, the Syrian Football Association announced on social networks a change in the national team’s logo, eliminating the red color associated with the former Ba’ath regime for green, a symbol of the independence movements. The post included a photo of the players wearing the new jersey. “Our new national uniform: the first change in the history of Syrian sport, far away from nepotism, favoritism and corruption,” the federation stated.

Players like Ammar Ramadan also celebrated the change. On his Instagram account, the midfielder wrote: “My country, Syria, is being liberated. Resistance to oppression is inevitable. Bashar is a war criminal and he is gone. Coward. My happiness is for the people. My people…”.

REVITALIZING SYRIAN FOOTBALL

The war has damaged stadiums, reduced energy resources and deteriorated the quality of the national league. Bernd Stange told the English newspaper that the level of the championship is not good enough to compete internationally. In addition, coach education has been stagnant for more than a decade, and courses such as the Pro license have been impossible until now.

The current conditions also make it difficult to play international matches at home. “Syria cannot host. It has been more than 10 years without proper infrastructure,” said Windsor John, secretary general of the Asian Football Confederation. For now, the team will have to continue competing at neutral venues.

NEW HOPE

Stange believes that, with stability, Syria could reach the level of Asian powerhouses such as Iran, Iraq or Australia, putting home games as a base: “Winning a game in front of a passionate crowd in Aleppo or Latakia could be mission impossible for any Asian team.”

The national team has the opportunity to lead this transition. With the Asian Cup qualifiers kicking off in March, the players will represent not only the future of Syrian football, but also the possibility of a united nation after decades of conflict. This sporting revival could be a powerful tool for national reconciliation.