Multi-criteria decision analysis and spatial optimization of sports facilities using GIS and AHP: a case study of ramadi district, Iraq

Abstract Ramadi District, the capital of Al-Anbar Governorate in western Iraq, faces a severe shortage and unbalanced distribution of sports facilities—a challenge common to many post-conflict and rapidly urbanizing cities in developing countries. This study aimed to analyze the spatial distribution of existing sports facilities and identify optimal locations for new ones using an integrated GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making approach. Using Google Earth imagery, 46 sports complexes were identified and geolocated. Spatial analyses included distribution patterns, Euclidean distance, Kernel Density, and per capita provision. For suitability mapping, seven criteria—distance from sports facilities, population centers, main roads, rivers, healthcare centers, vegetation density, and slope—were weighted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and integrated via the Fuzzy Gamma operator (γ = 0.7). Findings revealed that over 95% of facilities are concentrated in urban areas, while 46.7% of villages lie more than 8 km from the nearest facility, indicating deep spatial inequality. Per capita sports space was critically low at 0.25 m² in the district and 0.26 m² in the urban area, far below international standards (4–6 m²). The suitability map showed that only 4.2% (358 km²) of the district falls into the “very high” potential class, mainly in the urban core and northern suburbs. Integrating spatial justice, spatial potential, and land vacancy criteria, 26 optimal sites were proposed for the first implementation phase. This study provides a replicable, evidence-based framework for sports facility planning in post-conflict and rapidly urbanizing cities in developing countries, where data scarcity, spatial inequalities, and reconstruction challenges are prevalent. It demonstrates how integrated GIS-MCDA approaches can support equitable infrastructure planning even under severe data and security constraints, contributing to international discourse on spatial justice and sustainable urban development.