President Ahmed Al-Shara inaugurated on Monday, April 20, 2026, the Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall in Damascus after completing its comprehensive rehabilitation processes, where the opening witnessed a friendly match that brought together the Syrian and Lebanese basketball teams, marking the return of the spirit to one of the most prestigious Syrian sports edifices.
President Al-Shara: Sport is a Bridge to Peace and Construction
In a speech during the opening, President Al-Sharaa revealed his long-standing personal relationship with basketball, describing it as "his love of sports to his heart", before the conditions of wars and problems forced him to turn to "another game that resembles sports".
The opening of the hall with such precision is "the beginning of a future that holds greater achievements", he said, stressing that the time has come to overcome the tragedies of the wars in Syria and Lebanon and move towards the reconstruction phase.
President Sharia: Syria and Lebanon "Neither Victor nor Defeated"
President Al-Sharia said that the history between the Syrian and Lebanese peoples has always involved a good and beautiful relationship, which is sabotaged by policies, considering that it is nice that the first joint event between the two countries is a basketball match, and that the special rule between Syria and Lebanon is that there is no winner and loser, as any party that wins is a victory for everyone, explaining that the rule between the two countries is the absence of the logic of winner and vanquished.
With Asian Specifications
For his part, the Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth, Jamal Al-Sharif, explained that the hall was never just walls and a roof, but a space where Syrians meet for love and honest competition, pointing out that its opening in its new form in accordance with international standards confirms the return of the spirit to one of the most important strongholds of sports in Syria, and that it will be a space for making achievements and victories, a platform for every talent, a home for every athlete, and a space for the public without exception.
Al-Sharif pointed out the Ministry's keenness to ensure that the rehabilitation process is in accordance with modern standards that keep pace with the requirements of international sports, not only in terms of structure and equipment, but also in terms of the ability to host major tournaments and events, stressing that sports facilities are an environment that makes champions and gives young people a space for dreaming, work and achievement.
Comprehensive rehabilitation of Al-Fayhaa Hall
During the past period, the hall has undergone a comprehensive rehabilitation process in the technical and service aspects, which has taken it to the ranks of the most important halls at the Asian level and made it ready to host major basketball tournaments and events.
The rehabilitation works included the renovation of the stadium floor in accordance with the approved international standards, the maintenance of the stands and their reorganization, the modernization of the lighting system, the update of the scoreboards in accordance with modern systems, to provide a clear presentation of the results, timing and statistics, the improvement of entrances, exits and internal corridors, the rehabilitation of the dressing rooms for the players and referees, and the development of some facilities related to the reception of fans and media.