Stade Mohammed V: Morocco's oldest football stadium

Nestled in the Maârif district of central Casablanca, Morocco, lies the Stade Mohammed V. The multi-purpose stadium was inaugurated on March 6, 1955, under the name Stade Marcel Cerdan, in homage to the famous Franco-Moroccan world champion boxer. A year later, it took the name Stade d'Honneur. It received its current name in 1981 on the occasion of the 1983 Mediterranean Games organized in Casablanca, after Mohammed V, who was Sultan of the Cherifian Empire and later King of Morocco.

With a seating capacity of 45,000, it is the oldest football stadium in Morocco. This venue has served as the home ground for local rival football clubs Wydad AC and Raja CA, and witnessed Morocco qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, the country's first World Cup. The stadium has undergone various renovations, including a major renovation in the late 1970s for the 1983 Mediterranean Games which included an electronic scoreboard and a 12,000-capacity indoor gymnasium. In 2006–07, it was renovated again to include a semi-artificial lawn of a high standard.

Currently considered a masterpiece of Moroccan sports, the complex accommodates about 80,000 spectators and includes a large sports hall, an Olympic swimming pool, and a media centre. A rehabilitation program was announced in 2023 to prepare the stadium for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. This project, which includes removing the athletics track and extending the stands to meet FIFA standards, will lead to the stadium making history by hosting the first-ever African Football League final.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons