The Architecture of the Grand Stadium of Casablanca Unveiled

With a capacity of 115,000 seats, the Casablanca stadium will be the largest in the world. "The winning project of Oualalou + Choi and Populous is inspired by the traditional Moroccan social gathering known as the "moussem", with a stadium structure under a large tent-shaped roof that emerges as a spectacular intervention in the wooded landscape," the consortium said in a statement. The two companies are already active on the ground. "Earthworks preparation is underway on a 100-hectare site in the town of El Mansouria, in the province of Benslimane, 38 km north of Casablanca, after public financing was approved in October 2023," the same source said.

The engineering firms Maffeis Engineering, ME Engineering, Rider Levett Bucknall, Momentum and SEPSI are also part of the design team. "The Grand Stadium of Casablanca is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture, with its traditions and contemporary expressions. It draws on ancient and primordial figures: the Moussem, the tent and the garden, as well as the topography and landscapes of Morocco. It is a generous space, open to the world and respectful of the nature it protects. The Grand Stadium of Casablanca embodies the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality," explained Tarik Oualalou, principal architect and founding partner at Oualalou + Choi and chief architect of the project.

"The Grand Stadium of Casablanca is an iconic venue for the citizens of Casablanca and Morocco that will become one of the great stadiums of the world," commented Christopher Lee, Managing Director of Populous for the EMEA region.