Stade 5 Juillet 1962 - Algeria Stadium Guide

Stade 5 Juillet 1962 was first opened in 1972 with a capacity of 95,000. Designed as a multi-purpose sports arena complete with athletics track around the perimeter of the pitch, the stadium was constructed as part of the centrepiece for the 1975 Mediterranean Games and was later used for the 1978 All-Africa Games as well.

It wouldn’t be until almost 18 years after opening that it would host its first major football tournament and become closely associated with the sport. One of two stadiums for the 1990 African Cup of Nations, the other ground used was Stade 19 Mai 1956 which had a capacity of 50,000.

Part of the reason the stadium’s popularity across the country is that it provided the backdrop for Algeria’s victory during the tournament. Hosting 9 matches in total, the final was attended by a crowd of 105,302 and saw Algeria defeat Nigeria 1 nil to lift their first Championship.

After Stade du 5 Juillet was forced to comply with Fifa’s stadium safety regulations in 1999 the capacity was reduced to 80,200. Four years alter after further renovation in 2003, the capacity was once again reduced, this time to 76,200, after the conversion of standard seating to executive boxes.

After the renovation work was completed at the turn of the millennium you wouldn’t have expected the record attendance set during the African Cup of Nations to be beaten however it was on 3rd March 2010. A friendly match against Serbia to celebrate the team’s qualification for the 2010 World Cup attracted a crowd of 110,000.