He added that more than 500 soccer matches were held annually during each sporting season across Gaza’s major stadiums, drawing hundreds of spectators who filled the stands to support their favorite clubs and players.
“The stadiums were packed with fans,” Siam said. “Football provided an important space for recreation, competition, and community life in Gaza.”
During previous World Cups, cafés throughout Gaza became gathering places where soccer fans watched matches together and discussed the results late into the night.
Afana remembers those days vividly.
