New images have been released of what is set to be the world's largest football stadium.
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The Grand Stade Hassan II in the Moroccan capital, Casablanca, is set to become the world's largest football stadium with a capacity of 115,000 spectators, just in time for the African country to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Morocco will host the tournament alongside Portugal and Spain, with Casablanca already selected to host the final. Preparations for the foundations of the stadium are due to begin in October 2023 on the 100-hectare site.
The current record holder for the largest football stadium is the Junnado May 1st Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. It has a capacity of 114,000 and is where the North Korean national football team plays.
The stadium was designed by Paris-based architects Oualalou + Choi and Populous, a global sports design leader.
However, it will not be the largest venue in the world – that honour goes to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, a cricket stadium that doesn't host football matches but can accommodate up to 132,000 spectators.
Inspired by traditional Moroccan social gatherings called “mucems”, where Moroccan groups meet for cultural exchange, the roof structure is designed to look like a grand tent set amongst the woodland of Casablanca.
The main stadium is dotted with gardens housing smaller fields and complexes. This “green oasis”, which also includes a botanical garden, is located 38 km north of Casablanca and brings a new level of interaction between the stadium and the surrounding nature.
The stadium has stands at either end that can accommodate 29,500 general admission spectators, plus a further 12,000 in five tiers of VIP hospitality stands.
Tarik Oualalou, design principal and founding partner of Oualalou + Choi and lead architect of the project, commented: “With its traditions and contemporary expression, Hassan II Stadium is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture. The stadium is rooted in ancient primordial forms such as the mucems, tents and gardens as well as Moroccan topography and landscapes. The stadium is a generous space open to the world and respectful of the nature it protects. Casablanca's Hassan II Stadium embodies the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality.”
