Moroccan Architect Designs Largest Football Stadium in the World

Moroccan architect Tarik Oualalou has won the architecture competition for the design, technical study, and construction supervision of the Grand Stade de Casablanca, surpassing 12 international candidates. Oualalou’s consortium included Populous Ltd, renowned for global stadium projects, and ME Engineers Ltd, a leader in sports design and lighting.

Also contributing are Australia's Rider Levett Bucknall and Italy's Maffeis Engineering SPA, known for their work on projects like the Lusail Sports Arena, Khalifa Stadium in the UAE, Stade de la Meinau in France, and Heathrow International Airport in London. 

Located near Benslimane Airport, the proposed Grand Stade site is 38 kilometres from Casablanca, and 18 kilometres from Mohammedia, in the commune of Mansouria within the province of Benslimane.

With an expansive 100-hectare site, the stadium is set to be built in line with the FIFA 2030 regulations for international football. It is designed to have a maximum seating capacity of 115,000 to serve all mass sports and cultural events, making it the largest football stadium in the world.

Other than the Grand Stade, the project includes all supporting infrastructure and services such as the public assembly hall, dressing rooms, medical services, media centres, secure parking lots for officials and players, and one area designated for the general public. Additional facilities include ticketing, accreditation, broadcasting, volunteer centres, as well as four FIFA-approved training pitches and adjacent parking lots. 

It is expected that additional ancillary projects and facilities for athletes, officials, operators, organisers, spectators, and services may be expanded and redeveloped within the available land. 

The Grand Stade de Casablanca development deal was signed on October 20th, 2018, with Tarik Oualalou proposing a fee rate of 5.70%, amounting to an estimated service cost of approximately MAD 199 million (approximately $20 million). The project's highest estimated budget is MAD 5 billion (or USD 500 million). 

Photography Credit: Tarik Oualalou