Hammadi Agrebi Stadium
Stadium in Radès, Tunisia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hammadi Agrebi Stadium (ملعب حمادي العقربي), originally known as the 7 November Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Radès Sports City, a southern suburb of Tunis, Tunisia. Built between 1998 and 2001 for the 2001 Mediterranean Games, it serves as the main venue for the Tunisia national football team, Espérance Sportive de Tunis, and Club Africain.
(2001–2011)
Radès Olympic Stadium
(2011–2020)
"Mediterranean Pearl" | |
Hammadi Agrebi Stadium during the 2009 Tunisian Cup final | |
 Interactive map of Hammadi Agrebi Stadium | |
| Full name | Hammadi Agrebi Stadium |
|---|---|
| Former names | 7 November Stadium (2001–2011) Radès Olympic Stadium (2011–2020) |
| Location | Radès, Tunis, Tunisia |
| Coordinates | 36°44′52″N 10°16′22″E |
| Owner | Government of Tunisia |
| Capacity | 60,000 (all-seated; originally designed for up to 65,000) |
| Surface | GrassMaster hybrid turf |
| Record attendance | 65,000 (2004 Africa Cup of Nations final) |
| Field size | 400 m athletics track |
| Public transit | Southern Suburbs Line of Tunis commuter rail |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1998–2001 |
| Opened | 6 July 2001 |
| Construction cost | 170 million Tunisian dinars |
| Architect | Rob Schuurman |
| Tenants | |
| |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The stadium features a covered amphitheater with an operational capacity of 60,000 spectators (all seated), although the original design allowed up to 65,000. Covering 13,000 square meters, it includes the main pitch, three auxiliary fields, two warm-up halls, electronic scoreboards, an honorary tribune seating 7,000, and a press box with 300 seats.
The stadium was inaugurated on 6 July 2001 during the 2000–01 Tunisian Cup final, in which CS Hammam-Lif defeated Étoile du Sahel 1–0, and Anis Ben Chouikha scored the stadium’s first goal. It later hosted six matches during the 2004 African Cup of Nations (24 January – 14 February 2004), including the final, where Tunisia defeated Morocco 2–1 to win the title.
History
The stadium was inaugurated on 6 July 2001 as Stade 7 November, with the 2000–01 Tunisian Cup final in which CS Hammam-Lif defeated Étoile du Sahel 1–0.[1] It later served as the main venue for the 2001 Mediterranean Games, where the Tunisian team won the football tournament by beating Italy 1–0 in the final.
The stadium hosted six matches during the 2004 African Cup of Nations, including the final, where Tunisia defeated Morocco 2–1 to claim the championship.[2][3]
The stadium has hosted several finals of CAF club competitions, usually as second-leg or single matches:
- Six CAF Champions League finals: 2006 (CS Sfaxien vs Al Ahly), 2010, 2011, 2012 (Espérance de Tunis vs TP Mazembe), 2018, and 2018–19 (Espérance de Tunis vs Wydad AC and Al Ahly).
- Two CAF Confederation Cup finals: 2011 (Club Africain vs Maghreb de Fès) and 2013 (CS Sfaxien vs TP Mazembe).
- Two CAF Super Cup matches: 2008 (Étoile Sportive du Sahel 2–1 CS Sfaxien), and 2012 (Espérance de Tunis vs Maghreb de Fès, 1–1; Maghreb de Fès won 4–3 on penalties).
In 2010, the French Professional Football League moved the Trophée des Champions to the stadium for the match on 28 July, in which Olympique de Marseille defeated Paris Saint-Germain 5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 draw. In October 2015, the Habib Essid government proposed mortgaging the stadium, sparking public controversy. The plan was later withdrawn. The stadium holds a first-class certification from World Athletics (formerly IAAF) for meeting international track and field standards.
In May 2020, the stadium was ranked among the world's most beautiful stadiums in a poll by the Spanish newspaper Marca, receiving around 14,000 votes. Its record attendance is 65,000, set during the 2004 AFCON final between Tunisia and Morocco. Another high-attendance match took place on 22 May 2008, when Club Africain defeated Espérance Sportive de Zarzis in the 2007–08 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1, with an estimated 60,000 spectators.
Name
The stadium was originally named the 7 November Stadium when it opened in 2001 and was renamed Radès Olympic Stadium (Stade Olympique de Radès) following the Tunisian revolution in 2011.[4]
On 22 August 2020, one day after the death of former Tunisian international footballer Hammadi Agrebi (Mohamed Ben Rehaiem), caretaker head of government Elyes Fakhfakh announced that the stadium would be renamed in his honor.[5] The announcement surprised the mayor of Radès, who said the municipal council would meet on 24 August to decide.[6]
Controversy arose over a decree dated 12 July 2019 (n°613), which prohibits naming public monuments after deceased individuals until three years after their death, with some exceptions.[7] On 24 August, the Ministry of Local Affairs clarified that the stadium is under the national jurisdiction of the Ministry of Youth and Sports rather than the municipality, exempting it from the decree.[8]
A plaque reading Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi was installed on 1 September 2020, but it was later removed amid ongoing dispute.[9] On 21 September, the Radès municipality filed an urgent complaint with the Administrative Court to annul the renaming.[10]
Despite the controversy, the name Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi (Hammadi Agrebi Stadium) was officially adopted and is now used by the Tunisian Football Federation, Confederation of African Football (CAF), and FIFA.[11][12] The variant "Olympic Stadium of Radès" remains in use in some Tunisian and international media.[13]
International tournament matches
2004 African Cup of Nations
| Date | Time (CET) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 January 2004 | 19:30 | Tunisia  | 2–1 |  Rwanda | Group A (opening match) | 60,000 |
| 28 January 2004 | 16:15 | Tunisia | 3–0 |  DR Congo | Group A | 20,000 |
| 1 February 2004 | 14:00 | Tunisia | 1–1 |  Guinea | Group A | 18,000 |
| 7 February 2004 | 17:00 | Tunisia | 1–0 |  Senegal | Quarter-finals | 57,000 |
| 11 February 2004 | 16:00 | Tunisia | 1–1 (5–3 pen.) |  Nigeria | Semi-finals | 56,000 |
| 14 February 2004 | 14:30 | Tunisia | 2–1 |  Morocco | Final | 60,000[14] |
Tunisia national football team
Events hosted
- Events
- 2001 Mediterranean Games
- 2003 Tunis Four Nations Tournament
- 2004 African Cup of Nations
- 2006 LG Cup in Tunisia
- Matches
- 2004 Africa Cup of Nations final
- 2006 CAF Champions League final (second leg)
- 2008 CAF Super Cup
- 2010 Trophée des Champions
- 2010 CAF Champions League final (second leg)
- 2011 CAF Confederation Cup final (first leg)
- 2012 CAF Super Cup
- 2012 CAF Champions League final (second leg)
- 2013 CAF Confederation Cup final (first leg)
- 2018 CAF Champions League final (second leg)
- 2019 CAF Champions League final (second leg; match abandoned)
- 2021–22 Libyan Cup final[15]
- 2022–23 Libyan Premier League final (venue reportedly in Radès; details limited due to Libyan domestic scheduling)
The stadium has frequently hosted CAF club competition finals, often as second-leg matches for Tunisian clubs such as Espérance or CS Sfaxien, and has also been used for neutral fixtures thanks to its high CAF rating and regional stability.
Certification
The stadium features a 400 m athletics track and has hosted international track and field competitions, including events at the 2001 Mediterranean Games.
It meets international standards for multi-purpose use (football and athletics), although it is not currently listed as a World Athletics Class 1 certified facility.[16]
It is regarded as one of the leading multi-purpose venues in North Africa, featuring a modern design and a high CAF rating for football events.[17]