Football has always been the biggest sport within North Africa and across the Middle East (MENA). But in 2022, both regions wrote a triumphant page in the history books as Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup and Morocco finished in the semi-finals — the first Arab nation to do so. A new book shines a light on the passion that MENA nations have for the Beautiful Game.
Published by MIDDLE EAST ARCHIVE and designed by Lack of Guidance co-founder Akaar, Football transcends the limitations of sport to explore how the game has become an essential aspect of the region’s cultural identity.
The book contains photographs that were taken between the late 1980s up until 2023, from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and the UAE, to Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Oman, Palestine, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kurdistan. Photographers include Abbas, Nikos Economopoulos, Karim Sahib, Jinane Ennasri, Marco Di Lauro, Alex Webb, and Salah Malkawi.
Football is a linen-bound book that spans 126 pages in both English and Arabic. The book is available to purchase for $50 USD online and at select retailers, such as Printed Matter in New York.
