Same look, similar capacity, similar solutions. The architects of the Stade Ali la Pointe seem to have drawn fully from the emblematic Stadio San Nicola in Bari. The twin brother of the Italian ‘spaceship’, however, has unique modern touches and its hosts hope for a better future than that of SSC Bari.

Spaceship on the outskirts of Algiers

When work began on Stade Ali la Pointe, Stadio San Nicola’s glory years were, to put it lightly, long behind it. Nonetheless, the two venues have in common a large number of seats - 40,000 (Douera) and 57,000 (Bari) - and a rare layout: inclined stands without a facade, with empty spaces in which the entrances to the upper sectors are located. The home of second-tier SSC Bari owes the nickname spaceship to this configuration.

And while the appearance may be surprising, it has to be appreciated for its uniqueness. You can appreciate it yourself in this year's Stadium of the Year edition if you decide to choose the Douera stadium for your favourite five of the 23 venues opening in 2024. Although it is not one of the favourites, it deserves attention not only because of its old-fashioned layout.

An interesting design element is the glass building on the west side, which contrasts aesthetically with the austere concrete facade. The building bears the coat of arms of the host - the Mouloudia Club d'Alger - and the year it was founded: 1921. The club's colours are responsible for the appearance of the stands which shimmer in green (lower level) and red (upper level). A partially glazed roof protects the fans from the weather.

14 years of work and a happy end

However, it was not at all clear that the host of Stade Ali la Pointe would be MC d'Alger, the first Algerian team to win a continental competition (the 1978 African Champion Clubs' Cup). USM Alger and CR Belouizdad also wanted to play at the stadium, but a day after MC Alger's centenary celebrations in 2021, Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that the club had been chosen as the host.

Before this could happen, construction encountered serious delays. Although it began as early as 2010, progress on the site came to a standstill after the initial work was completed. It was not until 2016 that construction resumed, which, with long delays, continued until 2024. President Tebboune named the facility after Ali la Pointe, a hero of the 1954-62 Algerian War of Independence.