Initial project

Over the years, there have been persistent rumors surrounding the construction of a new stadium and the anticipated timing of its completion. These speculations gained momentum, particularly after Stade Mohammed V suffered damages from multiple games of its tenants Raja CA and Wydad AC. These two teams have a significant stake in African interclub competitions and domestic tournaments.

The initial project was planned for the World Cup in 2010, for which Morocco lost their bid to South Africa. It included five major stadiums across the country, including Ibn Batouta Stadium, the Stade de Marrakech and two more in the major cities of Agadir and Fez. Years after, it was one of the 14 stadiums included in Morocco's bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which included the construction of two new stadiums in Casablanca. However, on June 13, 2018 in Moscow, 203 FIFA member federations voted for the United bid of Canada, Mexico and the United States, with 134 votes against 65 for Morocco.^[1][2]

Construction

The situation took a new turn after the historical qualification of the Morocco national football team for the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This achievement prompted the Royal Moroccan Football Federation to take the lead in hosting major football events, such as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Furthermore, a promising collaboration with Spain and Portugal has emerged as they jointly bid to host the 2030 World Cup.^[3] This progress has reignited discussions about the long-desired construction of the Grand Stade de Casablanca, initially proposed for the 2010 and 2026 World Cups. These developments were further confirmed by Fouzi Lekjaa, the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, during a government meeting led by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch on 22 June 2023.^[4] Fouzi presented the comprehensive details of the joint bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, emphasizing the central role of the stadium's construction in the bid.

On 20 October 2023, the government and the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion signed an agreement which allocates approximately 5 billion dirhams to the stadium construction over the period 2025 - 2028. It also launched the renovation of the other stadiums to host the 2025 AFCON and the 2030 World Cup. 9.5 billion dirhams will be mobilized to conform six stadiums to CAF standards in the 2023 - 2025 period. A second update will be then operated over the period 2025 - 2028, in compliance with FIFA standards for a budget ranging from 4.5 to 6 billion dirhams.^[5][6]

On 28 October, during a press conference with his Spanish and Portuguese counterparts, Pedro Rocha and Fernando Gomes, the president of the FRMF Fouzi Lekjaa declared “The construction of the new Casablanca stadium will begin at the end of December and will take over two years”, before specifying that the stadium will be made available to Raja CA and Wydad AC.^[7]

On 14 March 2024, a consortium led by local firm Tarik Oualalou Architecte (Oualalou+Choi), and including Populous was selected during a design competition for the Grand Stade de Casablanca.^[8][9][10]