Stade de Douera – design description

How did the new stadium in Douera develop?

Plans for a new stadium in the south-western suburb of Algiers date back to 2004. Initially, the stadium was to be built in the Khraicia estate, but in 2008, a new site was selected a little to the west, between the Douera and Baba Hassen estates. The facility was to be built on the second southern bypass of Algiers, next to a major road junction.

The project was launched in early 2009, but administrative problems and troubles with the transfer of the site meant that construction work began on April 30, 2010. The contractor for the facility was the Chinese company Zhejiang Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd. (ZCIGC). Construction was expected to cost 11.969 billion Algerian dinars and the project is expected to be completed after 29 months, in September 2012.

How is the construction of the new stadium in Douera progressing?

You can follow coverage of the development on our construction page of the new stadium in Douera

However, after the initial ground works were completed, the project stalled. The standstill was explained by administrative obstacles, problems with the design, the falling value of the currency and difficulties in accessing construction materials. The Chinese contractor was said to be demanding much higher amounts for the project than originally agreed.

The impasse was only broken in 2016 and since then the construction site has seen clear progress. According to the initial plans, the stadium was to be the main facility of a multi-purpose sports complex, but the ambitious project was scaled down, leaving only the stadium itself with additional pitches, car parks and surrounding greenery. Despite noticeable progress since 2016, subsequent commissioning dates kept being pushed back. Currently, the stadium is expected to open in the first half of 2023.

The construction, financed by government funds, is one of four major stadium developments taking place in Algeria over a similar period. Almost in parallel, stadiums were also being built in Baraki (another suburb of Algiers), Tizi-Ouzou and Oran, incidentally all of which also experienced significant delays.

Who should the new stadium in Douera serve?

When construction of the stadium began, there were no clear plans for the future host. It was assumed that it would be one of the leading football clubs in the urban area. During the construction process, Mouloudia Club d'Alger, USM Alger and CR Belouizdad, among others, claimed their entry. On August 8, 2021, Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that Mouloudia Club d'Alger would host and manage the facility (the day before the club celebrated its centenary).

In addition to Mouloudia Club d'Alger (MCA) matches, the facility is also to be used for other sporting and non-sporting events. It is also possible that (at least occasionally) the Algerian national team will play there. In addition, the modern stadium increases Algeria's capacity to host major football tournaments.

What will Stade de Douera feature?

The stadium will have a typical football layout, with two-tier, gently profiled stands around the pitch. The auditorium will be fully covered and will accommodate 40,000 spectators. The ends of the roof will be glass and there will be two video screens above the stands behind the goals. The seating will be mainly in shades of red (upper level) and green (lower level), referring to the colours of Mouloudia Club d'Alger.

The upper level of the stands has been designed in a rather original way, with numerous indentations separating the different sections of the auditorium from each other. The walls at the edges of these indentations will be elongated upwards; they are intended to act as pillars supporting the canopy structure, while their soaring form will enrich the appearance of the facility both inside and out.

On the west side, under the stands, there will be a glazed backstage area. Interestingly, four underground tunnels will lead to the stadium. Additional pitches, paths, squares, greenery planting and parking spaces will be created around the facility.