Mawazine (officially Mawazine Rhythms of the World) is an annual music festival held in Rabat and Sale, Morocco, organized by the Maroc Cultures Association under the patronage of King Mohammed VI. Founded in 2001, it has grown into the largest music festival in the world by attendance, drawing 3.6 million people across nine days and seven stages in 2026. Most concerts are free to the public.
How Mawazine Works
Mawazine runs for nine days each June across multiple venues in Rabat and Sale. The main stages include OLM Souissi (the largest, hosting international headliners), Nahda (Arab and Moroccan pop), Bouregreg (African and world music), the Mohammed V Theatre (classical and traditional Arabic music), the Salé Stage (Moroccan heritage and chaabi), Chellah (intimate world music sessions), and Les Afters (late-night club-style events).
The festival programs a mix of international superstars, Arab pop icons, African artists, and Moroccan performers. Most stages are free to attend, which explains the massive attendance figures. The OLM Souissi stage alone can hold over 100,000 people for a single headliner set.
Mawazine operates in two distinct eras. The first (2001 to 2007) focused on world music and struggled financially. The second era began in 2008 when Mounir Majidi, personal secretary to King Mohammed VI, took over. The festival shifted toward mainstream international booking and secured major sponsorships from Moroccan corporations. The artist list is reportedly validated by the royal palace.
Real-World Example: Mawazine 2026
The 21st edition ran from June 19 to 27, 2026. French rapper Ninho opened the festival at OLM Souissi on June 19, marking his Mawazine debut. Other OLM Souissi headliners included Major Lazer (June 20), Tyla (June 21), Nicky Jam (June 22), ITZY (June 23), Rema (June 24), Tiësto (June 25), Tyga and Ty Dolla Sign (June 26), and Tamer Hosny with Bebe Rexha closing on June 27.
The 2026 edition added two new venues: the Royal Theatre of Rabat and Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater performed at OLM Souissi on June 26, while Oumou Sangaré and Dionne Warwick also appeared. The festival drew 3.6 million attendees, a 4% decrease from the 3.75 million who attended the 20th edition in 2025 but still among the highest figures recorded by any festival worldwide.
For context on scale: a standard Coachella weekend draws 125,000 people per day across two weekends. Mawazine draws over 400,000 people per day across its nine-day run, with most of those attendees paying nothing at the gate.
Notable Past Lineups
Mawazine has booked international superstars, Arab pop icons, African artists, and Moroccan performers across its 21 editions. Here are lineups from recent years:
2015 (OLM Souissi, Rabat):
- Headliners: Avicii, and other international acts
- Notable: Avicii delivered a full headline set at OLM Souissi on June 1, 2015
2025 (20th edition, OLM Souissi, Rabat):
- Headliners: 50 Cent, aespa
- Attendance: 3.75 million (the highest figure recorded by the festival)
- Notable: 50 Cent headlined OLM Souissi on June 21, 2025. K-pop group aespa delivered a full performance.
2026 (21st edition, June 19 to 27, Rabat and Sale):
- OLM Souissi headliners: Ninho (June 19), Major Lazer (June 20), Tyla (June 21), Nicky Jam (June 22), ITZY (June 23), Rema (June 24), Tiësto (June 25), Tyga and Ty Dolla Sign (June 26), Tamer Hosny with Bebe Rexha (June 27)
- Other notable acts: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Oumou Sangaré, Dionne Warwick, Macy Gray, Stonebwoy, Senny Camara, Majid Al Mohandis
- Attendance: 3.6 million (a 4% decrease from 2025)
- New venues: Royal Theatre of Rabat and Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium
- The 2026 edition coincided with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Morocco national team matches were broadcast on screens at festival venues.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
Mawazine offers exposure at a scale few festivals can match. A slot on the OLM Souissi stage puts you in front of up to 100,000 people per night. The festival's commitment to free public stages means your music reaches audiences who might never pay for a concert ticket, expanding your fan base across Morocco, North Africa, and the Arab world.
For independent artists targeting Mawazine:
- Build relationships with the Maroc Cultures Association, which handles all booking. The festival prioritizes artists with existing traction in the MENA region.
- Moroccan and Arab artists have a natural advantage. The festival reserves significant stage time for local talent across the Nahda, Salé, and Chellah stages.
- African artists should target the Bouregreg stage, which programs Afrobeat, dancehall, and world music acts from across the continent.
- International electronic and pop acts can break through via the OLM Souissi stage, but competition is fierce. Strong streaming numbers and social media presence in the region are prerequisites.
- Submit applications through the official Mawazine website when open calls are announced, typically in early spring.
Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to project streaming revenue from a Mawazine performance, particularly across North African and Middle Eastern markets where Spotify and Anghami dominate.
Related Resources
- Music Festivals Directory - Explore other major world music festivals
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Estimate streaming growth after a festival performance
- Tour Revenue Calculator - Plan your international festival tour budget
- Official Mawazine Website
Similar Festivals
- Montreal International Jazz Festival - Free-stage festival with massive attendance in Canada
- Montreux Jazz Festival - Major international music festival in Switzerland
- Rock in Rio - Massive attendance festival in Brazil
- Essence Festival - Large-scale music and culture festival in New Orleans
