Stadiums can, however, become just as famous as clubs and players as they serve as permanent reminders of what football is all about – victories and defeats – and the arena in Rades is synonymous with international matches as it has been the setting for some of the greatest moments in the history of Tunisian football.
In just seven years, this stadium, which has been lovingly dubbed “the pearl of the Mediterranean”, has hosted a number of unforgettable matches that have seen many famous names grace its turf. Zineciine Zidane and Thierry Henry (Tunisia v. France, 22 August 2002), Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluigi Buffon (Tunisia v. Italy, 30 May 2004), Samuel Eco’o (Tunisia v. Cameroon, 27 March 2003), El-Hadji Diouf (Tunisia v. Senegal, 30 April 2003) and Jay-Jay Okocha (Tunisia v. Nigeria, Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, 10 February 2004) are just a few of the stars who have lit up an arena that has come to represent a modern, revitalised Tunisia.
Alihough Tunisia rook gold at the Mediterranean Games by defeating Italy 1-0 in the final on 15 September 2001, their victory was merely the prelude to a greater success story some three years later when die Carthage Eagles swooped to claim Africa Cup of Nations glory with Rades once again acting as the setting for the most magical and illustrious moment in Tunisian football history.

The visual impact of the Stade du 7 Novembre in Rades was established lone; before ir was officially opened, tor as soon as the pre-stressed white canvas roofing was put in place, this stadium — which was destined 10 become a veritable football temple – was a majestic sight to behold for passcrs-by.
As you leave the motorway, you cannot miss the stunning esplanade that many have compared ro that of Stade de France. Quite an impressive reference point for the stadium’s infrastructure.
Situated 15 kilometres to the south of Tunis and just a few hundred metres away from the shores of the Mediterranean, the Stade du 7 Novembre in Rades is the benchmark for modern, functional architecture in Tunisia and perhaps even across ihe whole of North Africa.
Anyone who watches a match here quickly discovers what is so special about this stadium. The air in the covered galleries that lead to the various stands is a welcome, refreshing contrast to the often stifling heat outside the stadium.
In stark contrast to the El Menzah stadium, which opens itself up to currents of air much like a flower, the stadium in Rades is almost like a chocolate box or a beautiful casket, an image that is reinforced by the canvas roof that covers the stands.
Rades ambitious Olympic City project, featuring a 60,000-sear.er football stadium, a multi-sport indoor arena with a capacitv of 14,500, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and an athletics track, was given the go-ahead bv President Ben Ali so that it could host the 14th Mediterranean Games in lunisia in 2001.
With a total capacity of 60,000 seats, all under cover, the stadium has two separate tiers, the lower of which offers space for 32,000 fans compared to the upper tier’s 28,000. Hie arena, which cost an estimated USD 135 million to build, is divided into four distinct zones (club zone, pitch, north curve and south curve). Ihe stadium also boasts 24 box-office windows and 40 turnstiles as well as a state-of-the-art video surveillance system (90 cameras) and an automatic fire detection system.

THE STADIUM
Name: Stade du 7 Novembre, Rades
Address: Cite 7 Novembre de Rades, 2018 Tunisia
Opened: 2001
Total capacity: 60,000
Covered: 100%
Home teams: Tunisian national teams, major matches in the Tunisian league, major international matches of Tunisian clubs