Stade Ali la Pointe – stadium description

How did the new stadium in Douera come about?

Plans for a major new stadium in the southwestern suburbs of Algiers were made as early as 2004. Initially, the stadium was intended to be built in the Khraicia settlement, but in 2008 a new plot of land was selected a piece to the west, between the Douera and Baba Hassen settlements. The facility was to be built on Algiers' second southern bypass, next to a major road interchange. The project was drawn up by Studio Altieri, in cooperation with gmp, Socomewib and Archi 2000.

Construction of the project began in early 2009, but administrative problems and troubles with the transfer of the site caused construction work to start 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 should be completed after 29 months, in September 2012.

The design of the new stadium in Douera can be seen on a separate subpage

How did the construction of the new stadium in Douera proceed?

After the initial groundwork was done, however, the project stalled. The standstill was explained by administrative obstacles, problems with the design, a drop in the 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 upon.

The impasse was only broken in 2016, and since then the construction site has seen clear progress. According to initial plans, the stadium was to be the main facility of a multi-purpose sports complex, but the ambitious project was truncated, leaving only the stadium itself, along with additional fields, parking lots and green space around it. Despite noticeable progress since 2016, subsequent commissioning dates kept getting pushed back.

The project was one of four major stadium developments taking place in Algeria during a similar period. Almost concurrently, stadiums were also being built in Oran (Stade Miloud Hadefi), Tizi Wuzu (Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed) and in another Algiers suburb, Baraki (Stade Nelson Mandela), incidentally, all of which also experienced significant delays.

A report on the construction of the new stadium in Douera can be seen on a separate subpage

Who does the new stadium in Douera serve?

When construction of the stadium began, plans for the future host were not yet specified. It was assumed that it would become one of the leading football clubs from the Algiers metropolitan area. During the construction process, Mouloudia Club d'Alger, USM Alger and CR Belouizdad, among others, reported their accession.

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 centennial).

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

After whom was the new stadium in Douera named?

The new stadium in Douera was named after Ali Ammar, better known as Ali la Pointe (Stade Ali la Pointe), by decree of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on October 30, 2023. Ali la Pointe is considered one of the heroes of the Battle of Algiers (in which he was killed) during the Algerian War of Independence.

When was the new stadium in Douera inaugurated?

The stadium was not inaugurated until July 3, 2024 (two days before the 62nd anniversary of independence), when Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune visited the stadium, accompanied by many other officials.

The first official match at the new facility took place on September 21, 2024, when Mouloudia Club d'Alger faced Tunisia's US Monastir in a CAF Champions League qualifier. The game was full of emotions, and there were even riots; in the end, the hosts won 2–0, which gave them promotion to the group stage (after a 0–1 defeat in the first match).

What are the characteristics of the Stade Ali la Pointe?

The stadium has a football-specific character, with two-tiered stands around the pitch. Attention is drawn to the rather large curvature of the stands and the high fence separating the audience from the playing field.

The stands are equipped with seats mainly in shades of red (upper level) and green (lower part), referring to the colors of Mouloudia Club d'Alger. The venue's capacity is 40,000 spectators (including seats for the press and in VIP boxes).

The auditorium is fully covered by a flat canopy, the end sections of which are glazed. Under the roof, floodlights and two video screens (located near the corners) are suspended.

The upper level of the stands was designed in a rather original way, with numerous indentations separating the different sections of the auditorium from each other (similar to the one in the stadium in Bari). The edges of these indentations extend upward, above the level of the stands themselves, while also acting as pillars supporting the roof structure. Their soaring form enriches the appearance of the facility both from the inside and outside.

From the outside, the facility takes on a form that may resemble a saucer. The reinforced concrete skeleton of the stands is generally bare, with only an elaborate backstage area covered by a glass facade beneath the main (west) stand.

The stadium is located in Douera, a southwestern suburb of Algiers, at a major road junction. There is a considerable amount of parking around the stadium, and the entire site covers an area of 38.3 hectares.