Al Riyadi Club Beirut (), commonly known simply as Al Riyadi, is a multi-sports club team based in Manara, a district in Beirut, Lebanon. Founded in 1934, the multi-sports club, which is mainly known for their basketball program, also plays ping-pong, martial arts, and other sports.
Al Riyadi is the most successful basketball team in Lebanese history, and one of the best in Asian basketball. Competing in the Lebanese Basketball League, Al Riyadi is the most decorated Lebanese basketball club, with 38 league titles, a joint-record three Basketball Champions League Asia titles, and five Arab Club Championships. Nicknamed "the Yellow Castle", basketball team plays its home games at the Saeb Salam Arena. Their rivalry with Sagesse, dubbed the Beirut derby, is the most anticipated basketball game in Lebanon.
History Al Riyadi Club was founded in 1934 by Hussein Sejaan, Hassan Ladki, Fouad Zantout, Youssef Shaker, Mustafa Shaker, Zouheir Yatim, Helmi Chehab, and Wafic Nsouli, who formed the first basketball team.
The team played its first game against a foreign team in 1947, when Al Riyadi faced Turkish club Galatasaray, and lost the game 33–39. The game was attended by the first President of Lebanon Bechara El Khoury.
Al Riyadi launched its first women's basketball team in 1965. The club built its own sports arena, the Saeb Salam Arena, in 1991, helped by former President Tammam Salam.
In the 2023–24 season, Al Riyadi secured their 31st Lebanese league championship, their first FIBA West Asia Super League title, and their third Asian continental title by winning the 2024 Basketball Champions League Asia. As champions, they qualified directly for the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, making them the first Lebanese team to compete in the tournament. At the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, Al Riyadi finished 4th out of 6 teams with a record of 1 win and 2 losses.
Arenas and facilities The Saeb Salam Arena was finished in 1991 and holds a capacity for 2,500 people. Al Riyadi played 2 seasons at Nohad Nawfal Stadium while waiting to innovate the Saeb Salam Arena in Manara. Home arenasArenaTenure Rawshe 1934–1947 Sanayeh 1947–1954Rawshe1954–1991Saeb Salam Arena 1991–present
Achievements The following is a list of achievements the club has won.
Domestic Lebanese Basketball League Winners (39): 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Lebanese Basketball Cup Winners (4): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2019 Lebanese Basketball Supercup Winners (2): 2012, 2019
International Basketball Champions League Asia Winners (3): 2011, 2017, 2024 Arab Club Basketball Championship Winners (5): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 FIBA West Asia Super League Winners (3): 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26 West Asia League winners (3): 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25 WABA Champions Cup Winners (4): 1998, 2008, 2011, 2017
Players Retired numbers Al Riyadi retired numbersN°PlayerPositionTenureCeremony date 4 Jean Abdelnour SF 2009–2023 13 December 2023 6 Ali Mahmoud PG 2004–2016, 2017–2019 10Ismail AhmadC2000–01, 2004–17, 2018–20, 2022–present
Current roster
Notable players
Jean Abdelnour Ismail Ahmad / Dalibor Bagarić Benoit Benjamin Rodney Buford Tony Dawson / Quincy Douby Fadi El Khatib Andre Emmett / Matt Freije Dion Glover Donté Greene Manny Harris Mike Harris Rick Hughes Orlando Johnson Ricky Ledo Zach Lofton / Ali Mahmoud / Thon Maker Randolph Morris Kevin Murphy Lee Nailon Julius Nwosu / Daniel Ochefu Aleksandar Radojević / Duop Reath Jamal Robinson Jonathon Simmons Willie Warren Loren Woods
See also Lebanon men's national basketball team
References
External links
Lebanese Basketball Federation