The Grand Hassan II stadium in Casablanca (Morocco), with its 115,000 seats, should be the largest football stadium in the world, a project designed by the Parisian agency Oualalou + Choi (Tarik Oualalou, Linna Choi) and POPULOUS, agency international company specializing in the design of sports equipment. Area: nc Budget: nc Press release.
The design of this new stadium is inspired by “Moussem”, a large festive and traditional gathering in Morocco. A large light tent deployed towards the sky covers the entire stadium and its surroundings, marking a spectacular figure in the landscape.
The stadium’s curves with their three extremely steep stands guarantee a vibrant and spectacular atmosphere, accommodating 29,500 spectators. Five levels of hospitality along the West and East Main Stands will accommodate 12,000 VVIP, VIP, Hospitality and Box spectators, as well as the Royal Box.
The stadium is draped in a spectacular tent made from a latticework of aluminum profiles. The geometry of the roof and the stadium is supported by a ring of 32 staircases, creating monumental access porticos which support large platforms, landscaped with lush gardens 28 meters above the ground. These gardens produce an extraordinary spatial experience, an oasis of greenery under the translucent envelope of the roof. At ground level, under the tent, a multitude of acclimatization gardens and activity spaces complete this natural atmosphere.
The stadium will be up to standard for FIFA competitions, with the possibility of hosting the final of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, following the appointment of Morocco as co-host of the tournament alongside Spain and Portugal. It will also serve as the home of the two local clubs.
Preparatory works are underway on the 100-hectare plot of land in the town of El Mansouria, in the province of Benslimane, 38 km north of Casablanca, following the approval of public funding in October 2023. The Grand Stade Hassan II will offer extraordinary spaces that will create exceptional experiences for every spectator and every visitor. It is one of the cornerstones of King Mohammed VI’s vision to develop the infrastructure of Moroccan football, and which will raise Morocco to the highest level in the world in terms of development of sports infrastructure. », underlines François Clément, president of Populous France.
« The Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca is deeply anchored in Moroccan culture, with its traditions and contemporary expressions. It is rooted in ancient and primordial figures: the Moussem, the tent and the garden, as well as in the topography and landscapes of Morocco. It is a generous space, open to the world and respectful of the Nature it protects. The Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca is the embodiment of the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality », Specifies Tarik Oualalou, chief architect of the project.
