The Lebanon World Cup squad has been named, with Jacob Kiraz, Jason Saab and Alex Twal among the 23 players picked by coach Michael Cheika, while Mitchell Moses will play for Australia instead.
The Cedars’ 23-man squad for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup was confirmed on Wednesday 7 October, Zero Tackle reported, with Wests Tigers and the Cronulla Sharks also confirming their players’ selections. Lebanon open their campaign against Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on Saturday 17 October.
Kiraz and Saab headline the Cedars
Bulldogs flyer Kiraz is the standout name. He starred at fullback for Lebanon at the 2022 World Cup, when Cheika’s side reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Australia. Manly winger Saab will make his Lebanon debut after a successful case to the International Rugby League, Zero Tackle reported.
Twal brings experience in the forwards. The Wests Tigers lock has played four World Cup matches for Lebanon since 2017 and won the club’s Kelly-Barnes Medal as best and fairest in 2026. Club teammate Tony Sukkar earns his first representative jersey.
Moses and Doueihi missing
The biggest absentee is Moses, who played for Lebanon at the 2022 World Cup but is in the Kangaroos squad this time. Adam Doueihi will also miss the tournament after shoulder reconstruction surgery in August, according to Zero Tackle.
Brothers and new faces
Teenage Broncos forward Tupou Francis has picked Lebanon and joins his older brother, Titans forward Tony Francis, in the squad. Sharks centre Michael Gabrael, who made his NRL debut in round 27, is also included.
“I’m a proud Lebanese Australian, and it means the world to me and my family to be named in the squad,” Gabrael told Sharks Media.
Cheika is back in charge, with incoming NSW Origin coach Matt King staying on as his assistant for the campaign.
Lebanon’s 23-man squad
- Mohamed Alameddine (Parramatta Eels)
- Yehya Ayache (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Jalal Bazzaz (Shellharbour Stingrays)
- Alex Conti (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
- Moustafa Dirani (St Marys Saints)
- Ibrahim El Labban (Wentworthville Magpies)
- Tony Francis (Gold Coast Titans)
- Tupou Francis (Brisbane Broncos)
- Michael Gabrael (Cronulla Sharks)
- Mikael Ibrahim (Gold Coast Titans)
- Jacob Kiraz (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
- Abbas Miski (Wigan Warriors)
- Brad Morkos (St George Illawarra Dragons)
- Joseph Nohra (Parramatta Eels)
- Jaxson Rahme (Sydney Roosters)
- Khalil Rahme (Newtown Jets)
- Khaled Rajab (Newtown Jets)
- James Roumanos (Toulouse Olympique)
- Jason Saab (Manly Sea Eagles)
- Jordan Samrani (Parramatta Eels)
- Tony Sukkar (Wests Tigers)
- Charbel Tasipale (Newtown Jets)
- Alex Twal (Wests Tigers)
Lebanon’s World Cup fixtures
- Papua New Guinea v Lebanon: Saturday 17 October, 3:25pm AEDT, Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
- Tonga v Lebanon: Friday 23 October, 8:05pm AEDT, CommBank Stadium, Parramatta
- Lebanon v France: Sunday 1 November, CommBank Stadium, Parramatta
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