Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed

The stadium in Tizi Ouzou has been defined by a long silence. For more than a decade, the site in the Boukhalfa district was dominated by the work of cranes rather than the movement of players. The process began in 2010 and saw multiple contractors pass through before the work was completed. JS Kabylie now call this place home, having moved from their previous ground.

The scale of the new venue is immediately apparent. It stands as the third-largest stadium in Algeria, designed to hold 50,766 spectators. The pitch itself is natural grass, a return to traditional playing surfaces after many years on artificial turf.

The cost of the build has been a subject of discussion, with estimates for the final price tag ranging significantly higher than the original budget. The delay in completion meant that the financial figures changed as the project progressed. The stadium sits near the edge of the city, a modern addition to a town with a strong footballing history. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who marked the end of the construction phase.

The ground is not just a replacement for the old Stade du 1er Novembre 1954; it is a new entity. The new arena is larger, newer, and built with different materials. The workmen who finished the job left behind a structure that is now ready for use. The transition from construction site to football home is complete.