Espérance Tunis Demands Stadium Upgrades at Radès Complex

Espérance de Tunis has stepped up calls for renovations at the Radès training grounds after its senior squad returned from pre-season drills last week.

The club finished the 2025-26 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 campaign in first place and now prepares for the CAF Champions League group stage opener on 18 July. Players have reported cracked pitches and outdated weight rooms that slow recovery between matches. The timing matters because the federation deadline for facility compliance sits in September.

Local training sites under pressure

Daily sessions take place at the Radès complex off the RN1 highway and at the smaller Bardo pitches near Avenue Habib Bourguiba. Club officials say the Bardo site serves the under-19 academy while the main squad uses Radès. Both locations sit within a 20-minute drive of the city centre yet lack covered recovery areas and modern drainage. Nearby residents on Rue de la Gare in Bardo have complained about evening floodlights that stay on past 10pm during summer heat.

The Tunisian Football Federation recorded 14,200 registered players across the capital region in its 2025 annual report. Espérance accounts for 1,850 of those members. Entry fees for the club's youth programme rose to 180 dinars per season this year, up from 140 dinars in 2024. Those figures come from the club's own membership ledger released on 3 July.

Next steps for members and fans

Club president Naceur Ouerfelli is scheduled to meet city planners on 15 July to discuss drainage repairs and new gym equipment. Supporters who hold season tickets can submit feedback forms at the club office on Avenue de la République until 20 July. Anyone seeking youth trial slots should arrive at the Bardo gates by 7am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where scouts will run basic fitness checks through the end of the month.