Morocco’s Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah adjudged Stadium of the Year for 2025

Rabat’s Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah has been awarded the title of Stadium of the Year 2025 after emerging as the top choice in a global poll organised by StadiumDB, a platform dedicated to sports architecture.

The Moroccan facility secured first place with 14,481 points, finishing ahead of the Grand Stade de Tanger, which placed second, while Claro Arena in Santiago, Chile, took third position.

A total of 7,451 valid votes were cast by football fans worldwide who assessed 28 stadiums that opened across the globe in 2025.

Situated in Rabat, the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium now serves as Morocco’s new national stadium and ranks among the country’s largest football venues. The facility can accommodate approximately 68,700 spectators and has been constructed to meet the highest standards set by FIFA, positioning it as a suitable venue for major international fixtures and potential semifinal matches during the 2030 World Cup.

The site carries a long footballing history. The original stadium was constructed in 1983 and functioned as the home ground for AS FAR Rabat while also regularly hosting matches involving Morocco’s national team.

Over the years, it staged several major competitions including the recent 2025 AFCON, the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, the FIFA Club World Cup, and a number of continental finals.

As part of preparations for future international tournaments, Moroccan authorities opted to fully redevelop the stadium. The previous structure was demolished in 2023 and replaced with a modern facility that was completed in less than two years. The new stadium officially reopened in 2025 in time to host matches during the Africa Cup of Nations.

The redevelopment project cost approximately $75 million and significantly increased the stadium’s seating capacity while introducing modern features such as LED screens, enhanced acoustics, hybrid natural synthetic turf, and upgraded hospitality areas.

The stadium is also part of the broader Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex. The complex now includes a new Olympic athletics stadium with 21,000 seats, training pitches, an indoor sports arena, and an Olympic swimming pool.

During AFCON 2025, the stadium quickly established itself as one of the tournament’s central venues, hosting several high-profile fixtures, including the final. The matches attracted large crowds and highlighted Morocco’s growing reputation for modern football infrastructure.