Inside the world’s biggest football stadium: Architects working on the new Old Trafford reveal plans for 115,000-capacity venue in Morocco in bid to host 2030 World Cup final
- New images show the staggering scale of the planned new stadium
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This is what the world’s largest football stadium will look like, with a massive tented roof rising above the desert and two ends with room for almost 30,000 spectators.
The architects who drew up the plans for a new Old Trafford for Manchester United were tasked with building an impressive 115,000-capacity stadium, fit to host the 2030 World Cup final.
And dramatic images shared with Mail Sport show exactly how Morocco’s Grand Stade Hassan II will dominate the landscape when the major project becomes reality.
The venue, located outside Casablanca, is inspired by the country’s traditional social gatherings known as a ‘moussem’. The roof will be made from a unique aluminium lattice, while each end of the vast stadium will hold 29,500 fans across three steep tiers. Five levels of hospitality will welcome 12,000 corporate clients, along with a royal box.
The stadium was designed by Populous, who were brought in by the Glazers to carry out a feasibility study into a new or renovated Old Trafford for Manchester United. They worked with Paris-based architects Oualalou + Choi.
Dramatic new images show the enormous size of Morocco’s Grand Stade Hassan II
The stadium, designed by Populous, can accommodate 115,000 spectators and can host the 2030 World Cup final
The roof of the huge stadium in the Moroccan city will be made of a unique aluminum grid
The location, situated outside Casablanca, is inspired by the country’s traditional social gatherings
Morocco will host the 2030 World Cup together with Spain and Portugal
The venue also features 32 steps leading to a number of gardens on raised platforms, 28 metres above ground.
Morocco is hosting the World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal and officials hope the stadium will host the final. It will also serve as home to two local clubs.
Work on a 100-hectare site north of Casablanca is set to begin soon after government funding was approved last year.
Populous could be asked to create a new home for United if the club can secure sufficient funding. However, Mail Sport has revealed that the job could also be awarded to award-winning Manchester architect Sir Norman Foster.
Christopher Lee, Managing Director at Populous, said: ‘The Grand Stade Hassan II will be a truly iconic, landmark venue for Morocco and for football itself. It will be one of the greatest stadiums in the world.’
Tarik Oualalou, Design Principal and Founder of Oualalou + Choi and lead architect of the project, added: ‘The Grand Stade Hassan II is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture, with its traditions and contemporary expressions.
‘It is rooted in ancient and primeval figures: the Moussem, the tent and the garden, as well as 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 de Casablanca is the embodiment of the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality.’