Algeria uses car lights for stadium lighting

On the evening of September 7,2025,Algerian football witnessed one of its most surreal moments during a Ligue 1 match between Paradou AC and USM Alger,which has become a symbol of infrastructure failure and improvisation.

In the second half of the derby,a sudden power outage plunged the stadium into darkness. But the game continued thanks to powerful lights of a BMW and other cars parked around the pitch.

Images and videos of players navigating the field under the beams of a BMW and other vehicles quickly went viral,sparking widespread ridicule and concern.

Social media users and football analysts criticized the incident as emblematic of deeper infrastructure failures in oil and gas-rich Algeria.

The incident also drew unfavorable comparisons with neighboring Morocco,which has recently inaugurated modern stadiums in preparation for hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.