Visualizations of the Oualalou + Choi and Populous-designed Grand Stade Hassan II in Morocco have been released. The 115,000-seat stadium is projected to be the largest soccer ground in the world.

In March, it was announced that the pair of firms was named the winner of an international competition to deliver the project in time for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The stadium’s budget is reportedly $500 million. The stadium will inhabit a 100-hectare site in the town of El Mansouria, which is about 24 miles north of Casablanca.

The structure’s design draws inspiration from a traditional Moroccan social gathering known as a moussem. This is evident through the stadium structure being situated beneath a grand tented roof. The roof is made from an aluminium lattice. 

Both the roof and the stadium bowl are supported by a ring of 32 stairways, which establish large gateways that host lush gardens positioned on raised platforms. Each platform stands roughly 92 feet from the ground. These gardens join a series of botanical gardens at ground level under the outer reaches of the covering.

“The Grand Stade Hassan II is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture, with its traditions and contemporary expressions,” said Tarik Oualalou, Design Principal and founding partner at Oualalou + Choi and Lead Architect for the project. “It is rooted in ancient and primordial figures: the Moussem, the tent, and the garden, as well as the topography and landscapes of Morocco. It's a generous space, open to the world and respectful to the Nature it protects. The Grand Stade Hassan II de Casablanca is the embodiment of the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality.”

Both ends of the stadium bowl feature three steep, compact tiers that each hold 29,500 general admission spectators. In addition, along each of the main stands at the side of the pitch, there are five levels of hospitality, which includes 12,000 VVIP, VIP, Hospitality, and Box users, as well as the Royal box.

The stadium will be fully compliant for FIFA competitions. It will also serve as the home of two local clubs. The Grand Stade Hassan II is expected to be constructed between 2025 and 2028 after public financing was approved in October 2023.