By Rami Bitar, CEO of Capital Partners and Executive President of Al Nejmeh Football Club
In times of crisis, nations are forced to confront difficult questions: Where should we invest our limited resources? What truly drives recovery? In Lebanon, these questions have taken on a painful urgency. With a shrinking economy, record youth unemployment over 40%, and a growing exodus of talent, the answers often seem elusive. Yet one transformative opportunity remains consistently overlooked: sports.
Not as entertainment. Not as a luxury. But as infrastructure.
If this sounds unconventional, it’s because we’ve been conditioned to think of stadiums, courts, and training facilities as sidelines to real economic activity. In reality, sports have long proven their ability to generate jobs, stimulate tourism, foster social cohesion, improve public health, and even rebuild fractured communities. Around the world, countries have begun to understand that investing in sports is not a distraction from development, it’s a catalyst for it. Rwanda’s Visit Rwanda campaign with Arsenal generated $39 million in tourism value in just one year, while Iceland, a nation of only 330,000 people, built 13 indoor stadiums, doubled youth sports participation, and qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. These stories prove what is possible when sports are treated as infrastructure.
Lebanon should follow suit.
An Untapped Engine of Growth and Social Renewal
When we speak of infrastructure, we often think of roads and bridges. But infrastructure is anything that enables people to thrive physically, economically, and socially. Sports fit this definition more than we give them credit for.
Every functioning sports ecosystem requires coaches, trainers, facility managers, medical staff, merchandisers, event planners, and media professionals. It supports industries from construction and hospitality to broadcasting and apparel. One well-run stadium can generate hundreds of jobs. One international tournament can fill hotels, restaurants, and taxis. One successful athlete can inspire thousands of young people to stay, train, and dream within our borders. Imagine Beirut hosting a regional futsal or beach soccer championship; the immediate benefits would flow into airlines, hotels, restaurants, and countless small businesses.
But beyond its economic potential, sports have a profound societal impact. They offer young people structure and purpose, diverting them from negative influences and giving them an outlet for ambition. They foster inclusion and teamwork, breaking down barriers that too often divide our communities. And they promote healthier lifestyles, reducing long-term strain on our healthcare system and improving the productivity of our workforce. Iceland’s story shows that when you invest in facilities and grassroots participation, you don’t just build athletes, you build resilience and national pride.
My own experience in supporting athletic initiatives has shown me this firsthand. We've invested in state-of-the-art training facilities, provided opportunities for youth development, and supported programs that do more than build athletes; they build citizens. Through these efforts, I’ve seen neighborhoods come alive, young people regain confidence, and communities rediscover common ground.
More Than Games: Sports as Social Infrastructure
Lebanon’s social fabric has frayed under the weight of political divisions and economic despair. Sports offer a rare and powerful counterforce. They unite. They teach discipline, teamwork, and resilience. When young people step onto a field, they leave behind confessional identities and compete as equals. In a country as fragmented as ours, that unity is nothing short of revolutionary.
I’ve seen sports bridge divides that politics could not. I’ve watched kids from different backgrounds become teammates, leaders, and mentors to one another. This is more than recreation, it’s reconciliation. And in Lebanon, reconciliation is a form of reconstruction.
A Case for National Strategy
Countries like Qatar, the UAE, and even smaller nations such as Iceland have used sports to project soft power, fuel tourism, and build national pride. Rwanda, through its partnerships with global sports franchises, has positioned itself as a surprising success story in sports tourism and branding. These aren't vanity projects, they are strategic investments.
Lebanon, with its Mediterranean climate, passionate youth, and untapped talent, holds similar potential. What we lack is not capability, but coordinated vision. And that vision is starting to take shape through Al Nejmeh Football Club. We have already launched a strategic plan built on four pillars: Nejmeh Fortress, revolving around the stadium renovation, Sporting Excellence for the development of the youth academy and first team pathway, One Club, All Sports focused on expanding into futsal, women’s football, and beach soccer, and Powering the Club aimed at creating sustainable revenue through innovation and global fan engagement.
These are not slogans; these are tangible steps. A $500,000 stadium fund has been launched to create a modern venue with upgraded seating. The academy pathway alone could generate 50 jobs for coaches, scouts, nutritionists, transport staff, and administrators. This model is replicable nationwide, demonstrating that by treating sports as infrastructure, we can generate jobs, heal communities, and rebuild Lebanon’s pride.
Imagine a Lebanon where youth academies train the next generation of athletes, where international sports events draw visitors from across the region, where sports media and merchandising become exportable industries, and where a healthier, more active population contributes to a more productive economy. That vision is within reach, if we choose to pursue it.
A Call to Reframe and Rebuild
As a business leader, I believe in investments that generate lasting impact. Whether through job creation, skills development, or social empowerment, sports deliver a return far greater than the scoreboard reflects.
It's time for both the private and public sectors to recognize this, and to act accordingly. And to investors and sponsors, I say this: by supporting Lebanese sports, and Al Nejmeh in particular, you are not just sponsoring a team. You are investing in national infrastructure, social cohesion, and Lebanon’s brand on the global stage.
We must reframe sports not as a luxury, but as a national priority. As infrastructure. As opportunity.
Because if we’re serious about rebuilding Lebanon, we can’t afford to leave one of our most powerful tools sitting on the bench.
________________________________________
Rami Bitar is the CEO of Capital Partners and Executive President of Al Nejmeh Football Club. A market leader in retail, trade, and distribution, he leads a sizeable workforce while pursuing his vision of rebuilding Lebanon through community development and sports.
In times of crisis, nations are forced to confront difficult questions: Where should we invest our limited resources? What truly drives recovery? In Lebanon, these questions have taken on a painful urgency. With a shrinking economy, record youth unemployment over 40%, and a growing exodus of talent, the answers often seem elusive. Yet one transformative opportunity remains consistently overlooked: sports.
Not as entertainment. Not as a luxury. But as infrastructure.
If this sounds unconventional, it’s because we’ve been conditioned to think of stadiums, courts, and training facilities as sidelines to real economic activity. In reality, sports have long proven their ability to generate jobs, stimulate tourism, foster social cohesion, improve public health, and even rebuild fractured communities. Around the world, countries have begun to understand that investing in sports is not a distraction from development, it’s a catalyst for it. Rwanda’s Visit Rwanda campaign with Arsenal generated $39 million in tourism value in just one year, while Iceland, a nation of only 330,000 people, built 13 indoor stadiums, doubled youth sports participation, and qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. These stories prove what is possible when sports are treated as infrastructure.
Lebanon should follow suit.
An Untapped Engine of Growth and Social Renewal
When we speak of infrastructure, we often think of roads and bridges. But infrastructure is anything that enables people to thrive physically, economically, and socially. Sports fit this definition more than we give them credit for.
Every functioning sports ecosystem requires coaches, trainers, facility managers, medical staff, merchandisers, event planners, and media professionals. It supports industries from construction and hospitality to broadcasting and apparel. One well-run stadium can generate hundreds of jobs. One international tournament can fill hotels, restaurants, and taxis. One successful athlete can inspire thousands of young people to stay, train, and dream within our borders. Imagine Beirut hosting a regional futsal or beach soccer championship; the immediate benefits would flow into airlines, hotels, restaurants, and countless small businesses.
But beyond its economic potential, sports have a profound societal impact. They offer young people structure and purpose, diverting them from negative influences and giving them an outlet for ambition. They foster inclusion and teamwork, breaking down barriers that too often divide our communities. And they promote healthier lifestyles, reducing long-term strain on our healthcare system and improving the productivity of our workforce. Iceland’s story shows that when you invest in facilities and grassroots participation, you don’t just build athletes, you build resilience and national pride.
My own experience in supporting athletic initiatives has shown me this firsthand. We've invested in state-of-the-art training facilities, provided opportunities for youth development, and supported programs that do more than build athletes; they build citizens. Through these efforts, I’ve seen neighborhoods come alive, young people regain confidence, and communities rediscover common ground.
More Than Games: Sports as Social Infrastructure
Lebanon’s social fabric has frayed under the weight of political divisions and economic despair. Sports offer a rare and powerful counterforce. They unite. They teach discipline, teamwork, and resilience. When young people step onto a field, they leave behind confessional identities and compete as equals. In a country as fragmented as ours, that unity is nothing short of revolutionary.
I’ve seen sports bridge divides that politics could not. I’ve watched kids from different backgrounds become teammates, leaders, and mentors to one another. This is more than recreation, it’s reconciliation. And in Lebanon, reconciliation is a form of reconstruction.
A Case for National Strategy
Countries like Qatar, the UAE, and even smaller nations such as Iceland have used sports to project soft power, fuel tourism, and build national pride. Rwanda, through its partnerships with global sports franchises, has positioned itself as a surprising success story in sports tourism and branding. These aren't vanity projects, they are strategic investments.
Lebanon, with its Mediterranean climate, passionate youth, and untapped talent, holds similar potential. What we lack is not capability, but coordinated vision. And that vision is starting to take shape through Al Nejmeh Football Club. We have already launched a strategic plan built on four pillars: Nejmeh Fortress, revolving around the stadium renovation, Sporting Excellence for the development of the youth academy and first team pathway, One Club, All Sports focused on expanding into futsal, women’s football, and beach soccer, and Powering the Club aimed at creating sustainable revenue through innovation and global fan engagement.
These are not slogans; these are tangible steps. A $500,000 stadium fund has been launched to create a modern venue with upgraded seating. The academy pathway alone could generate 50 jobs for coaches, scouts, nutritionists, transport staff, and administrators. This model is replicable nationwide, demonstrating that by treating sports as infrastructure, we can generate jobs, heal communities, and rebuild Lebanon’s pride.
Imagine a Lebanon where youth academies train the next generation of athletes, where international sports events draw visitors from across the region, where sports media and merchandising become exportable industries, and where a healthier, more active population contributes to a more productive economy. That vision is within reach, if we choose to pursue it.
A Call to Reframe and Rebuild
As a business leader, I believe in investments that generate lasting impact. Whether through job creation, skills development, or social empowerment, sports deliver a return far greater than the scoreboard reflects.
It's time for both the private and public sectors to recognize this, and to act accordingly. And to investors and sponsors, I say this: by supporting Lebanese sports, and Al Nejmeh in particular, you are not just sponsoring a team. You are investing in national infrastructure, social cohesion, and Lebanon’s brand on the global stage.
We must reframe sports not as a luxury, but as a national priority. As infrastructure. As opportunity.
Because if we’re serious about rebuilding Lebanon, we can’t afford to leave one of our most powerful tools sitting on the bench.
Rami Bitar is the CEO of Capital Partners and Executive President of Al Nejmeh Football Club. A market leader in retail, trade, and distribution, he leads a sizeable workforce while pursuing his vision of rebuilding Lebanon through community development and sports.
