Casablanca Derby · A rivalry to visit

The Casablanca Derby: Raja, Wydad, and a Rivalry Worth Seeing

Two clubs, one city, one stadium, and one of the loudest derbies in Africa. Here is why Raja against Wydad belongs on a football traveller's list, and why the next few years make the timing worth watching.

Most of the world's great derbies are in Europe. The Casablanca Derby is not, and that is exactly why it belongs on a list of rivalries to see at least once. Raja and Wydad share a single city, a single stadium, and a rivalry that turns Stade Mohammed V into a wall of colour, choreographed tifos, and non-stop singing that many European grounds cannot match. It is one of the biggest derbies in Africa and the Arab world, and for a traveller who has already ticked off the obvious European fixtures, it is one of the most rewarding football experiences left to have.

This is not a page selling you a package. Ticketing for these clubs runs through their own official channels, often close to matchday, and access can be harder to plan from abroad than a Premier League fixture. What follows is what the derby is, why it is worth the trip, and what is coming in Casablanca over the next few years that makes the timing interesting.

Two clubs, one city

Wydad plays in red, Raja in green. Both are permanent fixtures at the top of the Botola, Morocco's top division, and both carry continental pedigree. The split between them runs along lines of neighbourhood, identity, and history rather than geography, because there is no geography to separate them. They are both Casablanca. They both play their home matches in the same stadium.

That shared home is part of what makes the fixture unusual. There is no away end across town to travel to. The derby is a contest for the city's own ground.

Wydad Athletic Club

Red

Founded 1937

One of Morocco's most decorated clubs, a permanent presence at the top of the Botola, with continental honours to its name. Its Winners ultras group, formed in the mid-2000s, drives the red half of the derby.

Official site: wydadac.ma →Official ticketing →

Raja Club Athletic

Green

Founded 1949

Born in the working-class Derb Sultan district, Raja carries a strong popular identity and its own continental pedigree. Its Green Boys ultras, also formed in the mid-2000s, are behind the green half's tifos and singing.

Official site: rajaclubathletic.ma →Official ticketing (Tadakir) →

Why the derby is the draw

The reason to travel for this match is the stands. Both clubs have some of the most developed ultras cultures in Africa. Wydad's Winners and Raja's Green Boys, both formed in the mid-2000s, built the tifo displays, coordinated singing, and matchday choreography that now define the fixture. On derby day the effect is a full-stadium spectacle that lasts the entire ninety minutes, not just the goals.

It is loud, it is visual, and it is unlike the more corporate matchday experience at many top European clubs. For a visitor, the appeal is being inside an atmosphere that is still built by supporters rather than staged for broadcast. That is the whole point of going.

Where they play: Stade Mohammed V

Both clubs share Stade Mohammed V, in the heart of Casablanca in the Maarif district. It is a classic city-centre bowl, walkable from much of central Casablanca, and it is where the derby has been staged for decades. On a normal league day it holds a strong crowd. On derby day it is full and it is loud from well before kick-off.

Its central location is a genuine advantage for a visitor. You are not heading to an out-of-town complex reachable only by car. The ground sits inside the city you are already there to see.

What is coming: the Grand Stade Hassan II and 2030

The next few years are what make the timing worth thinking about. Just outside Casablanca, in El Mansouria in the Benslimane area, Morocco is building the Grand Stade Hassan II, designed by Populous with the Moroccan studio Oualalou+Choi. Planned for around 115,000 seats, it would be the largest football stadium in the world. Its design takes its cue from a traditional Moroccan tent, set within a large landscaped site, and the funding was approved in 2023 with construction under way since 2024.

The stadium is intended as a future home for both Raja and Wydad as well as the national team. Morocco is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, and hosting the final at the Grand Stade Hassan II is the stated ambition of the project. The final has not been formally awarded at the time of writing, so this is a strong candidacy rather than a settled fact. But the direction of travel is clear: Casablanca is building toward a much larger stage.

For a football traveller, that adds up to a window. Seeing the derby now, in the intimate city-centre bowl of Stade Mohammed V, is a different experience from what it will become in a 115,000-seat arena on the edge of town. Both are worth seeing. They will not be the same.

Getting tickets

Tickets for Raja and Wydad matches are sold through each club's own official channels, and availability is best checked close to matchday. Buy through the official club channels rather than informal sellers, since counterfeits are a known problem for high-demand matches like the derby. The club links above go straight to each side's official website and online ticketing.

The derby itself is the hardest ticket of the season and typically sells out. If the derby date does not line up with your trip, a regular league match for either club at Stade Mohammed V still delivers most of the atmosphere and is far easier to get into.

Planning the trip

Casablanca is reachable through Mohammed V International Airport, the busiest in Morocco, connected to the city centre by ONCF train in roughly half an hour. In the city, a modern tramway network covers central Casablanca, and taxis are widely available. Beyond the football, the Hassan II Mosque on the coast, the old medina, and the Corniche seafront are the obvious stops.

Where to stay near Stade Mohammed V

Hotels and apartments near the stadium and central Casablanca. Book early for derby weekends.

Flights

Getting to Casablanca

Mohammed V International Airport is the main gateway, with direct connections across Europe, the Middle East, and West Africa.

Find flights to Casablanca

Trip Protection

Cover your trip

A long-haul football trip involves real spend on flights, hotels, and match access. Travel insurance covers you if plans change before you go.

Get travel insurance

Experiences

Things to do in Casablanca

You're already making the trip — make the most of every hour around the match.

Walking tours Food & drink Landmarks Day trips Night tours

Tours & tickets in Casablanca →All experiences in Casablanca →

Frequently asked questions

When is the Casablanca Derby played?

Raja and Wydad meet at least twice a season in the Botola, Morocco's top division, with dates set by the league calendar. Cup competitions can add further meetings. Exact dates are confirmed through the season, so check the fixture list closer to your travel window.

Where is the Casablanca Derby played?

At Stade Mohammed V in central Casablanca, in the Maarif district, which both clubs share as their home ground. A new stadium, the Grand Stade Hassan II near the city, is under construction and is planned as a future home for both clubs.

How do I get tickets for Raja or Wydad?

Through each club's own official channels, best checked close to the match date. The derby is the toughest ticket of the season and typically sells out. Avoid informal resellers, as counterfeit tickets circulate for sold-out matches.

Is Casablanca hosting the 2030 World Cup final?

Morocco is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, and the new Grand Stade Hassan II near Casablanca is being built with hosting the final as its stated goal. The final host had not been formally confirmed at the time of writing, so treat it as a strong candidacy rather than a settled fact.

Is it worth travelling for the derby?

For a football fan who values atmosphere and ultras culture, yes. The stands are the attraction, and the experience is different from the more commercial matchday at many European clubs. If the derby date does not fit your trip, a regular league match for either club still delivers most of the atmosphere and is far easier to get into.