Fares Sports Academy: From an individual dream to a national project with a unique model.
Fares Sports Academy for football training was not born as a traditional commercial project; rather, it began as a personal dream fueled by the passion of its founder, Mr. Fares Al-Humaid—a dream that views football as a tool for character building before it is a means of competition. This difference in its starting point explains the academy’s trajectory and why, in a short period, it has become a role model for grassroots sports initiatives.
What distinguishes the academy is not the number of players or championships, but rather the philosophy that governs its work. Training here is not reduced to merely developing technical skills; instead, it is built on an integrated system of values and principles: discipline, respect for time, teamwork, and personal responsibility. These high standards, which are often neglected in many academies, have been one of the secrets of its success and sustainability.
Results were not long in coming; the academy achieved tangible successes in technical development, and a number of its players emerged remarkably. However, more importantly, its reputation spread as a safe and serious educational environment, which bolstered the confidence of both parents and the sports community alike. Here, we must pause at a fundamental point: the true success of academies is not measured only by the number of trophies, but by the quality of the person they produce.
Today, Fares Sports Academy is entering a more ambitious phase, moving toward the concept of integrated sports cities. This shift reflects a maturity in vision; a sports city is not just pitches, but a system that includes training, physical rehabilitation, and community services. In other words, it is the transition from a “training academy” to a “sporting lifestyle environment.”
This direction presents the academy with significant challenges: governance, financial sustainability, the quality of personnel, and the ability to maintain its value-based identity while expanding. This is precisely where the true test lies. Many projects start strong but lose their spirit upon expansion. The success of Fares Academy at this stage is contingent on its ability to avoid compromising the principles that built its name.
In the Arab sports scene, we are in dire need of such models; models that understand that investing in the foundation, and in the person before the player, is the surest path to building a healthy sports future.
