MC Alger’s 2024–2025 season has taken a significant hit following the indefinite closure of the newly inaugurated Ali-La-Pointe Stadium in Douéra, a move that has delivered both sporting and financial blows to one of Algeria’s most storied football clubs.
Optimism had reached fever pitch in early September when Mouloudia d’Alger hosted their first official match at the state-of-the-art venue—a 2-0 victory over US Monastir in the CAF Champions League preliminary round.
The match marked what was meant to be the start of a triumphant new chapter for the Algiers-based side, with players, staff, and supporters relishing the feeling of finally being “home.”
But the excitement was tragically short-lived. On 21 September 2024, a supporter fell to his death from one of the stands, prompting an immediate suspension of all activities at the stadium.
An official investigation was launched by the relevant authorities, and supplementary construction work was ordered to improve safety—despite the stadium previously receiving CAF approval for international fixtures.
More than eight months on, the findings of the inquiry remain undisclosed.
In the interim, the Ministry of Housing officially transferred ownership of the stadium to the Ministry of Sports.
Plans are underway to establish a dedicated stadium management company, but progress remains slow and fraught with administrative hurdles.
Amid this uncertainty, internal disputes have surfaced between CSA-MC Alger and SSPA-Le Doyen, both seeking control over the management and future commercial potential of the stadium.
With valuable spaces available for advertising, events, and merchandising, some stakeholders see Ali-La-Pointe as a lucrative opportunity beyond football.
While the off-field wrangling plays out, the sporting consequences are more concrete.
MC Alger faces the reality of a blank home season and the financial implications that come with it.
Based on projections for 20 home fixtures—including league, cup, and continental matches—at an average ticket price of 500 DA and a typical attendance of 35,000 fans, revenue losses are estimated to be in the region of 240 to 250 million Algerian dinars (24 to 25 billion centimes).
Even after factoring in operational costs, the club could have netted a substantial profit, not including additional income from merchandising and sponsorship deals.
In contrast, rivals like JS Kabylie have already capitalised on their new home ground, the Hocine-Aït-Ahmed Stadium, which has even hosted national team fixtures.
As of now, MC Alger remains in limbo. However, there are tentative signs of progress.
A Sonatrach subsidiary is reportedly in the final stages of conducting a feasibility study to oversee the long-term management of the facility, offering a glimmer of hope that the Ali-La-Pointe Stadium may finally open its gates once again.
