Ibn Batouta Stadium

The Ibn Batouta Stadium or Grand stade of Tangier (Arabic: ملعب ابن بطوطة; Berber languages: ⴰⵏⵏⴰⵔ ⵏ ⵉⴱⵏ ⴱⴰⵜⵓⵜⴰ) is a multi-use stadium in Tangier, Morocco. It is used mostly for football matches and big events such as ceremonies or concerts. The stadium has a capacity of 68,000 people.[1] It serves as the new home of IR Tanger, replacing the former Stade de Marchan. The stadium is named after the Moroccan scholar and explorer Ibn Battuta.

Ibn Batouta Stadium
Full nameStade Ibn Battuta
LocationTangier, Morocco
OperatorSonarges
Capacity68,000
Field size108 × 71 m
SurfaceNatural grass
Construction
BuiltSeptember 2002
OpenedApril 26, 2011
Construction cost€80 million
ArchitectJawad Khattabi
Tenants
Ittihad Tanger (2011–present)
Morocco national football team (selected matches)

History

The opening match was played on 26 April 2011 between IR Tanger and Atlético Madrid B and it followed by a match betwwen Raja CA and Atlético Madrid.[2]

VIP box of the Ibn Batouta Stadium

It was inaugurated on April 26, 2011. On July 27, the stadium hosted the 2011 Trophée des champions, in which Marseille beat Lille 5–4.[3]

When Morocco hosted the 2011 African U-23 Championship the stadium hosted six matches in the Group stage and one in the Semi-finals.

The Stade Ibn Battuta was one of the confirmed host stadiums for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, which was to be hosted by Morocco until it was stripped of its hosting rights.[4]

The stadium hosted the 2017 Trophée des Champions for the second time on July 29, in which Paris Saint-Germain beat Monaco 2–1.[5][6]

When Morocco hosted the 2018 African Nations Championship the stadium hosted six matches in the Group stage and one in the Quarter-finals.

It hosted the 2018 Supercopa de España match between the Copa del Rey runners-up, Sevilla, and the winners of the 2017–18 Copa del Rey and 2017–18 La Liga, Barcelona, in which Barcelona beat Sevilla 2–1[7][8]

It was one of the venues in Morocco's failed bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was slated to host the Quarter-Finals if Morocco had been awarded the World Cup.

It experienced a renovation to increase its capacity and change the exterior to host the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup. It was planned that the capacity will increase from 45,000 seats to 65,000.[9] On 25 January 2023, it was confirmed that the stadium is ready to host the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup.[10]

The stadium in 2018 before renovation

There are current studies to change the exterior of the stadium by making it fully covered, and removing the running tracks to increase its capacity to 80,000 before 2025 in conjunction with possibly hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup 2030, according to Abdelmalek Abron, a member of the FRMF and head of the Infrastructure Committee of the football system in Morocco.[11]

International events

2022 FIFA Club World Cup
Date Local time Team No. 1 Result Team No. 2 Round Attendance
1 February 202320:00Egypt Al Ahly3–0New Zealand Auckland CityFirst round47,317
4 February 202318:30United States Seattle Sounders FC0–1Egypt Al AhlySecond round30,589
7 February 202320:30Brazil Flamengo2–3Saudi Arabia Al-HilalSemi-finals42,496
11 February 202316:30Egypt Al Ahly2–4Brazil FlamengoThird place match30,216

International matches for Morocco national football team
14 August 2013 Friendly Morocco  1–2  Burkina Faso Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tanger
20:00 UTC+1 Barrada 64' Report
Referee: Malang Diedhiou (Senegal)
27 May 2016 Friendly Morocco  2–0  Congo Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier
19:00 UTC+1 Ziyech 4', 55' (pen.) Report Referee: Issa Sy (Senegal)
26 March 2019 Friendly Morocco  0–1  Argentina Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier
20:00 (UTC+1) Report Correa 83' Attendance: 35.000
Referee: Janny Sikazwe (Zambia)
15 October 2019 Friendly Morocco  2–3  Gabon Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier
19:00 (UTC+1) Amrabat 32', 69' (pen.) Report Boupendza 22'
Bouanga 48'
Chebake 80' (o.g.)		 Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Issa Sy (Senegal)
25 March 2023 Friendly Morocco  2–1  Brazil Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tanger
22:00 UTC±0
Report Casemiro 67' Attendance: 63.500
Referee: Sadok Selmi (Tunisia)

See also

Official website

References
  1. The Stadium now has a legal capacity of 65,000 after renovation construction finished for hosting the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup.
  2. "Opening Ceremony of Morocco new stadiums 2011". goalzz.com. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  3. FIFA.com
  4. "South Africa Chosen to Host Soccer's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations". Bloomberg.com. 29 January 2011.
  5. "Le Trophée des champions 2017 à Tanger". BeInSports. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  6. "PSG down Monaco 2-1 to lift French Champions Trophy". France24. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  7. "Game FC Barcelona – Sevilla FC". La Liga. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  8. "Ousmane Dembélé's wondergoal seals Spanish Super Cup for Barcelona". Guardian. 12 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  9. "Tangier Stadium sees major repairs ahead of Club World Cup". HESPRESS English - Morocco News. 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  10. "In Pictures: Tangier's Ibn Batouta stadium ready to host FIFA Club World Cup 2022". HESPRESS English - Morocco News. 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
  11. "مسؤول جامعي: "سعة ملعب طنجة ستصبح أكثر من 80 ألف مشجع خلال كان 2025" - هبة بريس". ar.hibapress.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-01-31.
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