Wydad vs Raja is the fixture that stops Casablanca. Boulevard Zerktouni traffic thins on derby days, the cafés around Stade Mohammed V fill three hours before kick-off, and the streets between Maârif and Derb Sultan glow red and green in equal measure. It is the biggest football match in Morocco and one of the three most-watched club fixtures on the African continent — alongside the Cairo Derby and the Soweto Derby.
The rivalry is older than the modern Botola. The first match, on 10 February 1957 at the old Stade Philip, ended Raja 1-0 Wydad. Both clubs were founded in the French Protectorate era — Wydad in 1937 by Mohamed Benjelloun Touimi, Raja in 1949 in the Derb Sultan district — as deliberately Moroccan-only sports associations. Across 69 years and 157+ competitive meetings, the Casablanca Derby has been shaped by colonial-era politics, the King Hassan II patronage of Moroccan football, the post-2000 ultras explosion, and the contemporary commercial rise of the Botola Pro.
All-time record across Botola Pro, Coupe du Trône, CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, Arab Club Champions Cup and exhibition fixtures (per Wikipedia's Casablanca Derby article, last verified to 29 October 2025). Wydad lead the all-time count by a clear margin; Raja have closed the gap meaningfully in the post-2000 era.
LEGENDARY SCORERS
The heroes who defined the derby across generations.
The first ever Casablanca Derby, played on 10 February 1957 at Stade Philip. Raja won the inaugural meeting; the result is the original starting point of Morocco's biggest football rivalry.
1996-02-18 · THRONE CUP
Raja 5-1 Wydad
The largest single-match victory margin in Casablanca Derby history. A Coupe du Trône fixture won 5-1 by Raja, with the goal-scoring rampage led by Said Ghandi. Wikipedia cites it as the derby's record win.
2019-11-23 · ARAB CLUB CHAMPIONS CUP
Wydad 4-4 Raja
The highest combined-goal Casablanca Derby — eight goals in a single match. The 4-4 draw featured record tifo and pyrotechnic atmosphere; the match has been re-watched on YouTube millions of times and is frequently cited as the most spectacular live derby of the 2010s in Africa.
2024-11-22 · BOTOLA PRO
Wydad 1-1 Raja
First Casablanca Derby of the 2024-25 season. A draw at Stade Mohammed V — start of a three-derby drawing streak that has run into late 2025.
2025-04-12 · BOTOLA PRO
Raja 1-1 Wydad
Second derby of the 2024-25 season; another 1-1 draw. The result kept both clubs in the Botola title chase but neither was able to challenge eventual champions RS Berkane.
2025-10-29 · BOTOLA PRO
Wydad 0-0 Raja
First derby of the 2025-26 season. A 0-0 draw at Stade Mohammed V — the third consecutive Casablanca Derby ending without a winner. Hakim Ziyech, who had signed for Wydad seven days earlier, made his derby debut as a substitute.
Vibrance
VIBRANCE OF MOROCCO
Wydad fans wear red — the colour of the club since the 1937 founding. The 'Club of the Nation' identity dates from the French Protectorate era, when Wydad's all-Moroccan membership made the club a symbol of resistance to colonial sports institutions. The supporter base skews to Casablanca's commercial neighbourhoods (Maârif, Anfa, Bourgogne) and to the city's middle-class diaspora. Pre-match assembly happens at Place des Nations Unies and the Wydad supporters walk together to Stade Mohammed V along Boulevard Zerktouni.
Raja fans wear green — 'Le club du peuple', the people's club. Founded in 1949 in the Derb Sultan district by Moroccan nationalists with explicit working-class framing, Raja's supporter base sits in Casablanca's denser, more peripheral neighbourhoods (Derb Sultan, Hay Mohammadi, Sidi Othmane). The chant book is older and more political. The 'Fbladi Dalmouni' chant — composed in the Curve Nord in 2017 — became a viral political anthem during the Atlas Lions' 2022 World Cup run.
Both clubs share Stade Mohammed V. On derby day the stadium splits cleanly: Wydad's Ultras Winners 2005 occupy the Curve Sud, Raja's Ultras Green Boys 05 the Curve Nord. The two ends face each other across 100 metres of pitch and trade tifos and chants for the entire 90 minutes.
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Derby Chants & Traditions
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Curve Sud / Curve Nord
Wydad's ultras occupy the Curve Sud; Raja's the Curve Nord. The two ends trade tifos, banners and choreographed pyrotechnic shows for 90 minutes. The visual contrast is the most-photographed feature of African club football.
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Fbladi Dalmouni
Composed in the Raja Curve Nord in 2017. A protest anthem that crossed into the Atlas Lions' 2022 World Cup run and is now sung at every Morocco national-team home fixture, regardless of which club's stadium is hosting.
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Pyrotechnic shows
Both clubs' ultras use coordinated pyrotechnic displays at derby kick-off. The 23 November 2019 Arab Club Champions Cup derby is widely cited as the most spectacular pyro-tifo combination in African football history.
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Boulevard Zerktouni walk
Wydad supporters traditionally assemble at Place des Nations Unies and walk to Stade Mohammed V via Boulevard Zerktouni. The route has been part of derby-day choreography since the 1980s and effectively closes the boulevard to vehicle traffic three hours before kick-off.
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Safety & Logistics
Wear neutral colours if travelling within central Casablanca on derby day — Maârif and Derb Sultan have documented derby-related friction since the 1990s. Once inside Stade Mohammed V, segregated blocks make colour display safe.
Segregation is enforced at Stade Mohammed V. Wydad supporters enter via the Curve Sud gates; Raja supporters via the Curve Nord. Do not cross into the wrong end. Stadium stewards have authority to refuse entry to anyone with the wrong club's colours at the wrong gate.
Moroccan Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale (DGSN) deploys 800+ officers at Casablanca Derby fixtures — among the largest single-match police deployments in Moroccan sport. Comply with directions; the post-2007 protocol after a stadium incident is zero-tolerance on crowd-crush conditions.
In Casablanca: avoid Boulevard Mohammed V tram route 90 minutes before and after kick-off. At Stade Mohammed V: use the Casa Tram T1 stop 'Hôpital 20 Août' rather than private car — parking fills 90 minutes before kick-off. The Maârif McDonalds is the unofficial Wydad pre-match meet-up.
Keep phone and cash separate. Stade Mohammed V turnstile crushes have a documented pickpocket problem. Use the official Botola Pro app for digital tickets rather than paper, and avoid scalpers near the Boulevard Zerktouni approach.
Casablanca's CHU Ibn Rochd and DGSN trauma units run on-site clinics at every Casablanca Derby. Free for emergency cases; every major entrance has a defibrillator station.
Arryadia (SNRT) · 2M (selected) · Botola Pro app (highlights)
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MENA / Pan-Arab
beIN Sports MENA — full Botola Pro rights
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Europe
beIN Sports France · Canal+ Afrique
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USA
beIN Sports USA · FuboTV
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Diaspora streaming
Botola Pro app (geo-restricted in some markets)
TICKETS
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Wydad AC official ticketing · Raja CA official ticketing
Both clubs sell derby tickets through their official websites and authorised resellers. Standard Botola Pro fixture tickets cost MAD 50-150 in standard tiers; derby and CAF Champions League knockout matches command MAD 200-500 in standard tiers and up to MAD 1,500-2,000 in VIP boxes. Derby-day tickets often sell out in under 48 hours when released.
Expect 3-4x normal Botola Pro pricing on Casablanca Derby day. Standard home-end seats cost MAD 50 for an ordinary fixture but MAD 200-500 for Wydad vs Raja. VIP boxes at Stade Mohammed V sell out 6-8 weeks in advance. Premium suites can reach MAD 5,000-15,000 per seat for 8-10 person packages.
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Do not buy from scalpers at Boulevard Zerktouni, Place des Nations Unies, or near the Stade Mohammed V approaches. Counterfeit Casablanca Derby tickets are a known problem — they clone the QR pattern but fail at the NFC turnstiles. Only use the official Wydad and Raja portals or the Botola Pro app.
The Casablanca Derby is the Wydad AC vs Raja CA football fixture — Morocco's biggest domestic derby and one of the three biggest club fixtures in African football. First played on 10 February 1957 (Raja won 1-0). Both clubs are based in Casablanca and share the Stade Mohammed V. The rivalry has run across the Botola Pro, Coupe du Trône, CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup and Arab Club Champions Cup competitions, with 157+ competitive meetings as of October 2025.
When was the Casablanca Derby first played?
10 February 1957, at the old Stade Philip in Casablanca. Raja won the first meeting 1-0. Both clubs were under 20 years old at the time — Wydad founded 1937, Raja founded 1949 — and both played in early-form Moroccan football leagues that became the modern Botola Pro after independence.
Three derbies in 12 months. All three ended in draws. The 29 October 2025 0-0 was the third in a row.
On 22 November 2024 the first derby of the 2024-25 Botola Pro ended Wydad 1-1 Raja at Stade Mohammed V. The result kept both Casablanca clubs in the Botola title race but neither was able to challenge eventual champions RS Berkane.
On 12 April 2025 the return fixture, also at Stade Mohammed V (the venue is shared, so 'home' is procedural), ended Raja 1-1 Wydad. A second consecutive draw left both clubs short of the title pace and ultimately handed RS Berkane their first Botola championship.
On 29 October 2025 the first derby of the 2025-26 Botola Pro ended Wydad 0-0 Raja. Hakim Ziyech, signed by Wydad seven days earlier, made his derby debut as a substitute. The 0-0 result is the third consecutive drawn Casablanca Derby — the longest such streak since the early 1990s. The 2025-26 return fixture is scheduled for spring 2026 with the exact date dependent on the Botola Pro broadcast schedule.
Where to watch the Casablanca Derby live
Arryadia (SNRT) is the free-to-air primary broadcaster in Morocco. beIN Sports MENA holds the regional premium rights. Diaspora viewers have options across Europe, MENA and North America.
In Morocco the Casablanca Derby airs on Arryadia (SNRT), the public broadcaster's sports channel. 2M, the second public broadcaster, carries selected derbies. The Botola Pro app provides highlights and clip-based coverage; full live streaming is geo-restricted within Morocco for rights reasons.
MENA / Pan-Arab viewers use beIN Sports MENA, which holds the premium Botola Pro rights through to the end of the current cycle. Europe is split between beIN Sports France and Canal+ Afrique, both of which carry the major Botola fixtures with French-language commentary. North American viewers use beIN Sports USA and the FuboTV add-on. Avoid illegal streams: the FRMF and beIN Sports actively pursue takedowns and quality is unreliable.
MENA / Pan-Arab: beIN Sports MENA (premium, full Botola Pro rights).
Europe: beIN Sports France + Canal+ Afrique.
USA: beIN Sports USA + FuboTV add-on.
Free highlights: Botola Pro app, official Wydad and Raja YouTube channels.
Cultural significance — Africa's three biggest derbies
Wydad and Raja sit alongside Cairo's Al Ahly vs Zamalek and Soweto's Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates as the three most-watched club derbies on the African continent.
Wydad trade as 'Club of the Nation' (Arabic: Nadi Al-Watan), with the 1937 founding by Mohamed Benjelloun Touimi and six other Moroccan nationalists rooting the club identity in the French Protectorate-era resistance to colonial sports institutions. The supporter base skews to Casablanca's commercial and middle-class neighbourhoods — Maârif, Anfa, Bourgogne — and the Wydad branding is corporate-modern, with global merchandise distribution through partnerships with European sportswear brands.
Raja carry the 'Le club du peuple' (the people's club) framing, with the 1949 founding in Derb Sultan rooting club identity in working-class Moroccan nationalism. The supporter base sits in Casablanca's denser, more peripheral neighbourhoods — Derb Sultan, Hay Mohammadi, Sidi Othmane — and the chant book is older and more political. The 'Fbladi Dalmouni' chant from the Curve Nord crossed into mainstream Moroccan rap and pop culture in the 2020s.
The derby is the most-watched club fixture in Morocco and one of the three most-watched club derbies on the African continent (alongside the Cairo Derby of Al Ahly vs Zamalek and the Soweto Derby of Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates). Average derby attendance over the last five seasons sits at approximately 42,000 at Stade Mohammed V, with derby-day overall stadium occupancy frequently topping 95 percent of seated capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Casablanca Derby?
The Casablanca Derby is the Wydad AC vs Raja CA football fixture — Morocco's biggest domestic derby and one of the three biggest club fixtures in African football. First played on 10 February 1957 (Raja won 1-0). Both clubs are based in Casablanca and share the Stade Mohammed V. The rivalry has run across the Botola Pro, Coupe du Trône, CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup and Arab Club Champions Cup competitions, with 157+ competitive meetings as of October 2025.
When was the Casablanca Derby first played?
10 February 1957, at the old Stade Philip in Casablanca. Raja won the first meeting 1-0. Both clubs were under 20 years old at the time — Wydad founded 1937, Raja founded 1949 — and both played in early-form Moroccan football leagues that became the modern Botola Pro after independence.
Who has won the Casablanca Derby more times?
Wydad AC lead the all-time head-to-head — 72 wins to Raja's 46, with 39 draws across 157 competitive meetings (per Wikipedia, as of 29 October 2025). Raja have closed the gap meaningfully in the post-2000 era; the modern Botola Pro split is closer than the all-time record suggests.
Where is the Casablanca Derby played?
At Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca's Maârif district, capacity 45,891 for major fixtures. The stadium is shared between Wydad and Raja — both Casablanca clubs use the same venue. Wydad's Ultras Winners 2005 occupy the Curve Sud; Raja's Ultras Green Boys 05 occupy the Curve Nord. Some 1970s-80s derbies were played at the now-demolished Stade Philip.
How much does a Casablanca Derby ticket cost?
Casablanca Derby tickets are 3-4x normal Botola Pro pricing. Standard home-end seats cost MAD 200-500 (vs MAD 50-150 for a normal fixture). VIP boxes at Stade Mohammed V run MAD 1,500-2,000 and sell out 6-8 weeks in advance. Buy through the official Wydad and Raja portals, the Botola Pro app, or authorised resellers — never from scalpers at the stadium approaches.
Who is the all-time top scorer in the Casablanca Derby?
Said Ghandi of Raja CA, with 7 derby goals (per Wikipedia). Mouhcine Iajour is on 6 (across both Wydad and Raja spells), and Mouhcine Moutouali is also on 6 for Raja. The modern era has not produced a single-player breakaway; the goal-scoring spread is wider than in earlier decades.
Why is the Casablanca Derby so important?
Three reasons. First, founder story: both clubs were founded as deliberately Moroccan-only sports associations under the French Protectorate — Wydad in 1937, Raja in 1949. Second, sociology: Wydad as 'Club of the Nation' (commercial-class identity) versus Raja as 'le club du peuple' (working-class identity). Third, ultras: Ultras Winners 2005 (Wydad) and Ultras Green Boys 05 (Raja) are among the most active and most-imitated supporter groups in world football.
Where can I watch the Casablanca Derby live?
In Morocco: Arryadia (SNRT) carries every Casablanca Derby on free-to-air, with 2M as a secondary public broadcaster for selected fixtures. MENA / Pan-Arab: beIN Sports MENA holds the premium Botola Pro rights. Europe: beIN Sports France and Canal+ Afrique. USA: beIN Sports USA and FuboTV. The Botola Pro app carries highlights worldwide; some live-streaming options are geo-restricted.
Is it safe to attend the Casablanca Derby?
Yes, with precautions. The Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale (DGSN) deploys 800+ officers at each Casablanca Derby — among the largest single-match police deployments in Moroccan sport. Segregation is strictly enforced at Stade Mohammed V. The post-2007 protocol after a stadium incident is zero-tolerance on crowd-crush conditions.
When is the next Casablanca Derby?
The Casablanca Derby is scheduled twice per Botola Pro season — once as a Wydad home fixture, once as a Raja home fixture (both played at Stade Mohammed V) — plus any cup-draw pairings (Coupe du Trône, CAF Champions League). For the current fixture date, check the Botola Pro official portal and the clubs' own matchday calendars.
What was the latest Casablanca Derby result?
The 29 October 2025 fixture at Stade Mohammed V ended Wydad 0-0 Raja. It was the third consecutive Casablanca Derby to end in a draw, after 1-1 (22 November 2024) and 1-1 (12 April 2025). Hakim Ziyech, signed by Wydad seven days earlier, made his derby debut as a substitute. The drawing streak is the longest since the early 1990s.
How many Casablanca Derbies have been played?
157 competitive meetings across Botola Pro, Coupe du Trône, CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup and Arab Club Champions Cup competitions, the latest being 29 October 2025 (per Wikipedia).
What was the biggest Casablanca Derby win?
Raja 5-1 Wydad on 18 February 1996 in the Coupe du Trône — the largest single-match victory margin in derby history per Wikipedia. The goal-scoring rampage was led by Said Ghandi, who holds the all-time derby top-scorer record with seven goals.
What was the highest-scoring Casablanca Derby?
Wydad 4-4 Raja on 23 November 2019 in the Arab Club Champions Cup — eight combined goals in a single match. The fixture is widely cited as the most spectacular live derby of the 2010s in Africa, with record tifo and pyrotechnic atmosphere from both Ultras Winners 2005 and Ultras Green Boys 05. Re-watched on YouTube millions of times.
What is the capacity of Stade Mohammed V?
Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca has a capacity of 45,891 for major fixtures. The stadium opened in 1955, was renamed after King Mohammed V, and was renovated for AFCON 2025. It is shared by Wydad AC and Raja CA, with both clubs occupying opposite curves (Wydad in the Curve Sud, Raja in the Curve Nord) on derby days.
Are Wydad and Raja both based in Casablanca?
Yes. Both Wydad AC and Raja CA are Casablanca clubs, and both share the Stade Mohammed V as their primary home ground. Wydad were founded 8 May 1937 in central Casablanca; Raja were founded 20 March 1949 in the Derb Sultan district. The clubs' rivalry is intra-city — comparable to Manchester United vs Manchester City or Boca vs River Plate within Buenos Aires.
Last updated 2026-05-06 · written by Amara Okafor. · AI-drafted, editor-reviewed
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