Other names Wydad First meeting 1956 | Locale Casablanca Most player appearances Abdellatif Jrindou | |
Teams Raja Casablanca
Wydad Casablanca Most wins Raja Casablanca (39-32-53) | ||
The Casablanca derby (Arabic: الدربي البيضاوي) Is a derby between two of the greatest clubs in not only Casablanca, but in Morocco as well. Wydad supporters mainly originate from the middle class while those from Raja mainly reside from the working class. Matches are played in the Stade Mohamed V, often containing a fierce and vibrant crowd.
The derby began the first Moroccan championship began in 1956. As of May 6, 2011, Raja leads the alltime record with 39 wins as opposed to Wydad's 32 wins and 53 draws between the two clubs, bringing a total of 124 matches played between them in league and club competitions.
The Casablanca derby has extensive national media coverage and is a topic of debate for several days before and after the match between the fans of both clubs, whether in the streets, schools or workplace.
Incidents
As in most of the world's derbies, riots and fights can take place before, during and especially after a major game.
On September 29, 2001, during the 100th derby which was part of the semifinals for the Moroccan World Football Cup, Youssef Belkhouja, a Wydad player, died on the lawn of Mohammed V Stadium, due to a heart attack.
On October 20, 2007, during an encounter between rival team supporters, Hamza Eddali, a Wydad fan who was 17, died at the Casablanca derby. Hamza Eddali is to date the last person killed in the Casablanca derby.
On April 18, 2010, after Raja beat Wydad with a score of one to none, a fight broke out between Raja and Wydad fans, resulting in injuries and property damage. Over one hundred people were arrested.