Morocco AFCON 2025: Grand Stade d’Agadir ready for Africa’s biggest football festival

…….First phase of renovations completed ahead of AFCON, with further upgrades planned for 2030 World Cup

By Samuel Ahmadu in Agadir, Morocco 

Just months before the kick-off of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), scheduled from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026, the Grand Stade d’Agadir has completed its first phase of renovations, valued at 450 million dirhams.

With a seating capacity of 42,000, this modern facility will host all Group B fixtures—including Egypt’s matches against Zimbabwe, South Africa and Angola—as well as Group F encounters between Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique.

Inaugurated in 2013, the Grand Stade d’Agadir is a 32-hectare sports complex located just five kilometers from the city center.

Its design is unique among Moroccan stadiums, built using embankments extracted from the ground and reinforced with earthquake-resistant architecture.

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The stadium’s modern facilities include VIP and VVIP areas capable of hosting 250 guests, lounges for up to 200 people, 12 hospitality boxes, and two restaurants with combined seating for 300 patrons.Its media sector accommodates 288 journalists, with multiple commentary boxes and a fully equipped newsroom.

The playing surface consists of natural grass, complemented by two annex training pitches of the same standard.

The stadium also offers four football locker rooms, eight athletics locker rooms, two referee changing rooms, and technical specifications that align with CAF and FIFA requirements, including 1,800 Lux vertical and 2,500 Lux horizontal lighting.

Fans will benefit from a giant 84-square-meter screen, 190 meters of LED panels, powerful sound systems, 2,500 parking spaces and the latest security with 137 surveillance cameras.

During a press briefing on September 1, Hicham Allouli, Regional Director of the National Company for the Construction and Management of Sports Equipment (Sonarges), emphasized that the renovations significantly improve accessibility, mobility, and comfort for supporters.

He noted that new refreshment stands and expanded parking facilities have been added to enhance the fan experience throughout the tournament.

The upgrade project has been structured in two phases. The first phase, now complete, satisfies all CAF requirements for hosting the 2025 AFCON.

A second phase will begin after the tournament, focusing on covering the stadium with a roof and expanding its capacity to 45,000 seats, in order to fully comply with FIFA standards for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host alongside Spain and Portugal.

With its Atlantic coastline, crescent-shaped beach, and seafront promenade lined with restaurants, cafés and hotels, Agadir stands as one of Morocco’s premier destinations.

By welcoming the stars of African football for Africa Cup of Nations 2025, the city not only reaffirms its status as a sporting hub but also showcases its appeal as a tourist and cultural hotspot on the international stage.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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