Sports Facilities
Sharing Our Sports Facilities with the Local Community
ANNU regards its sports facilities as a community asset that extends beyond students and staff to serve the wider Nablus community and Palestine at large.
Since 17 July 2024, the University’s sports facilities have been formally open to the public, free of charge, through the Sports Facilities Rental System. External individuals, schools, clubs and organizations book the grass pitch and the indoor sports hall for evening sessions, and register for swimming and aqua-fitness courses in published rounds.
Schools, academies, federations and community partners arrange hosted activities through the Sports Facilities Coordinator and the Sports Sciences Department, which schedule community use alongside teaching and University sport.
Key facts
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Figure |
What it shows |
Source |
|---|---|---|
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7,600 m² |
Sports Complex floor area over three floors, open since 2008 |
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|
15+ |
indoor and outdoor venues open for free community use |
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|
8 |
external sports academies competing in the indoor hall, 15 May 2025 |
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≈1,600 |
runners and walkers in the 2025 National Marathon, finishing on the University grass pitch |
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40+ |
published registration rounds of swimming and aqua-fitness courses, July 2024 to July 2026 |
View source |
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25+ |
institutions and unions in the 2026 five-a-side championship in the Sports Complex hall |
The University Sports Complex
Inaugurated on 22 November 2008 by President Mahmoud Abbas, and built with donations from Mr. Mohammad Ahmed Abu-Ghazaleh and Mr. Riad Kamal, the Sports Complex covers 7,600 square metres over three floors, with two saunas, changing rooms and lockers. These are the spaces the community uses.
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Facility |
Description |
|---|---|
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Swimming |
Half-Olympic indoor pool with an integrated electronic system, spectator stands |
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Indoor sports hall |
Basketball, volleyball, handball, futsal and badminton courts; seating for up to 500 spectators |
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Outdoor sports |
Grass football pitch with running track; outdoor multi-sport courts for basketball, volleyball, handball and tennis |
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Fitness centre |
Cardio and strength equipment, instruction rooms and multipurpose activity spaces |
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Gymnastics and squash |
Specialized gymnastics hall (rings, bars, vault, wall bars) and dedicated squash courts |
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Table tennis, boxing and recreation |
Indoor table-tennis tables, boxing training facilities and games rooms |
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Swimming |
Indoor sports hall |
Outdoor sports |
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Fitness centre |
Gymnastics and squash |
Table tennis, boxing and recreation |
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Badminton in the indoor hall |
Training session on the grass pitch |
Indoor hall during a final with full stands |
How the community gets access
Facility booking
The grass pitch and the indoor sports hall can be booked by external groups for 1.5-hour or 2-hour evening slots after 7 p.m., under the arrangements announced when the facilities opened to the public in July 2024.
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Facility operations notice, 14 July 2024
Swimming and aqua-fitness courses
Courses run in successive published rounds, each with separate groups for children (learn-to-swim, ages 8–14), women, men and aqua-fitness, and with registration categories for external participants.
Al-Najah Sports Academy
Launched in 2024 for boys and girls under 18, with twice-weekly training in football and basketball.
Hosted partnerships
Schools, academies, federations and NGOs arrange tournaments, training days and inclusive activities with the Sports Sciences Department and the Sports Facilities Coordinator.
Community use in 2025
Dated, published evidence of external groups using University sports facilities during 2025.
12 and 16 May 2025: Pupils from a local boys’ school play on campus
ANNU hosted pupils from the Islamic Basic School for Boys for a day of football, competitions and sports games. The University reports describe the activity as part of its continuing effort to strengthen links with local schools and encourage children to take part in sport regularly.
Who took part: Pupils from a local basic school
Facility: Grass football pitch, New Campus
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Pupils from the Islamic Basic School for Boys with University sports staff, May 2025 |
School teams line up on the University grass pitch, May 2025 |
Young players from the visiting school |
Evidence
15 May 2025: Eight community sports academies compete in the indoor hall
The Entrepreneurial Challenge Sports Tournament, organised by the Deanship of Student Affairs and the Faculty of Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence with the Physical Education Division, opened in the Indoor Sports Hall at the New Campus. Young athletes from eight academies took part: Al-Wehdat, Sport Village, Al-Laith, Al-Aws, Qusin Cubs, Pele German, Al-Ain Camp and Super Sport.
Who took part: Children and youth from 8 local academies
Facility: Indoor Sports Hall, New Campus
Evidence
March to December 2025: Year-round community swimming and aqua-fitness
Registration rounds 8 to 14 were published during 2025. The July 2025 round alone listed 23 scheduled groups covering children’s learn-to-swim classes, women’s swimming, men’s swimming and aqua-fitness, with session times, instructors and external-participant registration.
Who took part: Children, women and men from the community
Facility: Indoor half-Olympic pool
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The indoor half-Olympic pool |
Swimmers in a race start at the University pool |
6 May and 19 December 2025: Referee courses with national federations
The Sports Sciences Department ran a basketball referee course with the Palestinian Basketball Federation (60 participants, students and interested members of the public) and a football referee course with the Palestinian Football Association (60 participants), combining theoretical instruction with practical training.
Who took part: Students and community members interested in refereeing
Facility: Sports Sciences Department
Evidence
October 2025: School sport and sports-sector partnerships
ANNU’s Sports Sciences Department supported European School Sports Day activities organised by the British Scientific School (3 October) and organised a seminar on artificial intelligence in Palestinian sport with the National Olympic Academy, attended by representatives of clubs and national federations (4 October).
Who took part: Local school pupils; clubs and federations
Facility: Partnership activities
Evidence
26 December 2025: Third An-Najah National Marathon finishes on the University pitch
About 1,600 runners and walkers took part in running and family-walking routes that started at the Old Campus and finished on the grass pitch at the New Campus, beside the Faculty of Physical Education. Partners included Nablus Governorate, Nablus Municipality, the Palestinian Police, the Higher Council for Youth and Sports, the Palestinian Olympic Committee, the Palestinian Athletics Federation and the National Youth Council, with An-Najah Sports Academy taking part.
Who took part: Families, residents, students and staff
Facility: Grass pitch, New Campus
Evidence
Schools visiting the Sports Complex
School groups tour the halls, courts and pitches with Sports Sciences staff and student volunteers, and take part in games and activities.
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Secondary school pupils in the indoor sports hall |
A school group on the rooftop multi-sport courts |
Primary pupils from a visiting school on campus |
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Continuing in 2026
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Date |
Activity |
Evidence |
|---|---|---|
|
February 2026 |
Nine institutions and unions play in the Sports Complex hall Northern qualifiers of the Institutions’ Five-a-Side Football Championship, organised by the Palestinian Sport for All Federation with ANNU. Teams included Sport Village Company, the Engineers’ Association (Jenin, Nablus and Tulkarm branches) and Al-Akhras Company. |
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May 2026 |
Women’s national football teams train on the grass pitch The first gathering of the national young women’s and girls’ football teams brought players from across the northern West Bank to train and be assessed on the University grass pitch. |
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May 2026 |
Adapted sport for children with autism With the Palestinian Child Institute, the Sports Sciences Department ran adapted physical activities for children with autism in its indoor hall. |
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May 2026 |
Women’s club volleyball Hittin Club and Kaizen Academy (Ramallah) played a women’s volleyball match in the Sports Sciences Department hall. |
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August 2026 |
Junior handball championship The University hall hosted Group 2 of the Mufid Ismail Junior Handball Championship, organised by the Palestinian Handball Federation, with youth teams from Asira al-Shamaliya, Salfit, Immatin and Kafr Dan. |
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August 2026 |
AFC Level C coaching course ANNU and the Palestinian Football Association trained 25 football coaches from Palestinian governorates. |
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March to July 2026 |
Swimming rounds 17 to 20 Community swimming and aqua-fitness continued, including girls’ groups aged 12–18. |
Round 17 Round 18 Round 19 Round 20 |
A long record of opening our doors
|
Year |
Activity |
Evidence |
|---|---|---|
|
2019 |
4th Palestine International Taekwondo Open The indoor hall hosted an international championship with delegations from many countries. |
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2020 |
Inclusive sports event for children with disabilities |
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2022 |
Health and Wellbeing Marathon |
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2023 |
Fifth Global Goals World Cup, MENA region Teams of young women from local institutions played at ANNU. |
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June 2024 |
28th Scouts and Guides Training Camp The Physical Education Faculty made its facilities available to the camp. |
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July 2024 |
Facilities formally opened to the public; Sports Academy launched |
Operations notice |
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July–August 2024 |
Summer Junior School Swimming and sport sessions for school-age children. |
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August 2024 |
Palestinian U-17 Girls’ National Team hosted |
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4th Palestine International Taekwondo Open, ANNU indoor hall, 2019 |
International athletes competing, 2019 |
Junior bout, 2019 Taekwondo Open |
Measurable outcomes
Annual results, 2025
|
Indicator |
2025 result |
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Unique external community users during the year |
5,000 |
|
Average weekly community visits, including repeat visits |
750 |
|
Sports venues available to the community |
25 |
|
Community group bookings during the year |
2044 |
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Children and youth enrolled in Al-Najah Sports Academy |
370 |
|
Community swimming and fitness participants |
900 |
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Participating local schools |
33 |
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Participating clubs, academies and NGOs |
25+ |
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External academy teams in the Entrepreneurial Challenge tournament |
12 |
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Third National Marathon participants |
1,600 |
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Scheduled swimming groups in the July programme |
23 scheduled groups |
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Basketball referee-course participation |
88 |
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Football referee-course participation |
90+ |
Contribution to health and wellbeing
Sharing the Sports Complex gives people in Nablus safe, organised places to swim, train and play, and links University expertise in sports science with community health.
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SDG 3: Regular, supervised physical activity for children, women, older adults and people with disabilities.
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SDG 4: School sport, coach and referee education, and youth development through the Sports Academy.
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SDG 5: Women’s and girls’ swimming groups, women’s club volleyball and national women’s football.
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SDG 10: Adapted sport for children with autism and inclusive events for children with disabilities.
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SDG 11: A large public sports venue in Nablus serving residents, schools and clubs.
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SDG 17: Partnerships with sports federations, the Olympic Committee, municipalities and NGOs.
Community courses are led by named instructors and coordinated by Sports Sciences staff. In May 2025, ANNU’s Training Centre ran CPR and choking-response training for Sports Sciences staff and students to keep public sessions safe. Training report, May 2025
Book a facility or plan a visit
Schools, clubs, academies and community organisations can arrange use of the pitch, hall or pool through the Sports Sciences Department and the Sports Facilities Coordinator, sharing the activity, preferred dates and times, group size and any accessibility needs.
Consolidated evidence links
All links below were checked and returned a live page in October 2026.
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6 May and 19 December 2025: Basketball referee course, 6 May 2025
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6 May and 19 December 2025: Football referee course, 19 December 2025
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May 2026, Women’s national football teams train on the grass pitch: University report, 4 May 2026
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May 2026, Women’s national football teams train on the grass pitch: Faculty report, 7 May 2026
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May 2026, Adapted sport for children with autism: University report
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May 2026, Adapted sport for children with autism: An-Najah News
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May 2026, Women’s club volleyball: Faculty report, 7 May 2026
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August 2026, Junior handball championship: Faculty report, 2 August 2026
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2019, 4th Palestine International Taekwondo Open: Opening report
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2019, 4th Palestine International Taekwondo Open: Competition report
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2020, Inclusive sports event for children with disabilities: University report
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2023, Fifth Global Goals World Cup, MENA region: University report
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June 2024, 28th Scouts and Guides Training Camp: University report
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August 2024, Palestinian U-17 Girls’ National Team hosted: University report