Casablanca derby

Wydad have historically been seen as more middle-class and privileged thanks to the one-time backing of King Mohammed V before his death in 1961.[1] Wydad Casablanca has historically been associated with the Moroccan monarchy due to its close ties with the Moroccan royal family. The club's colors, red and white, are also said to symbolize the Moroccan monarchy.

Raja Casablanca, on the other hand, has traditionally been associated with leftist and populist politics.[2] The club was founded in 1949 by a group of leftist activists and intellectuals who wanted to create a team that represented the working class. The club's colors, green and white, are said to symbolize the hope and renewal of the Moroccan people.

As in most of the world's derbies, riots and fights can take place before, during and especially after a major game.

The first match between the two rival was in 1956 in which Raja won 1–0.[3][4]

The second match was won by Wydad 3–0 in 1957.

In 1978, Raja players withdrew from the match against Wydad during the last 10 minutes of the second-half because they were mistreated after conceding a penalty with a red card to their goalkeeper. Raja players did not accept the referee's decision and left the stadium by order of their captain Mohamed Fakhir, while Pitchou sat on the ball and waited with passion to score this penalty but Raja players refused to continue the match. The game ended by a score of 1–0 for Wydad.[5]

In 1996, Raja defeated Wydad 5–1 in the Moroccan Throne Cup quarts-finals. This score is the highest between the two rivals.

On April 6, 2001, Wydad initially won 3–0, but Raja complained about the illegal participation of the substitute Abdelhaq Ait Laarif who was registered with both Wydad and Étoile de Casablanca. The Moroccan federation accorded the win to Raja.[6]

On September 29, 2001, during the 100th derby which was part of the semifinals for the Moroccan Throne Cup, Youssef Belkhouja, a Wydad player, died on the pitch of a heart attack.[7]

On 24 May 2006, there was a fierce competition between the two rivals to clinch the league title. Raja scored first with a penalty by Abdellatif Jrindou, that result would have given Raja the title; but at the end of the match (at the 90+6 minute), a staggering strike from a long distance by Hicham Louissi gave Wydad the draw needed to win the league for the 16th time after 13 years of the last cup.[8]

On October 20, 2007, during an encounter between rival team supporters, Hamza Eddali, a Wydad fan who was 17, died. He is to date the last person killed in the Casablanca derby.[9][10]

On April 18, 2010, after Raja beat Wydad with a score of 1–0, a fight broke out between Wydad and Raja fans. Over one hundred people were arrested.[11]

In 2012, Wydad requested the FIFA and Royal Moroccan Football Federation to count the 5 titles that the club won in the regional championship organized during the Colonial Era in Morocco by french authorities before the creation of the Moroccan federation in 1956 as Botola titles. Their request was accepted and so, increased Wydad's Botola titles from 12 to 17. Wydad is the only club in Morocco to have their titles from the colonial era (before 1956) admitted by the FIFA.

On November 2019, the two rivals met in the second round of the Arab Club Championship. This was the first time that the derby took place in a non-local competition. The first game ended 1–1,[12] with Wydad leading by away goals. The second leg was one of if not the most epic match in derby history, with Wydad going up 4–1 with 15 minutes to play and Raja coming back to score in the 94th minute to make it 4–4, with Raja progressing on away goals.[13] This is the record for most combined goals in derby history but the match is also notable for its extraordinary atmosphere, with numerous Tifos being displayed and fireworks and flares going off throughout the match,[14][15] the latter of which there were so many it looked at times that the stands were on fire.[16]

• Casablanca clash guarantees drama