Wildparkstadion – historical stadium description

Decision to build a new stadium in the vast downtown park was made in 1952, when two local clubs merged to create Karlsruher SC. A new landfill giant covered 7.5 hectares of what used to be a multi-discipline sports complex. With all stands uncovered, the stadium could hold roughly 50,000 people.

Opening came in a great moment for KSC, who had just won their first domestic cup and took on Rot-Weiss Essen, reigning champions, in their first match in August 1955. That day some 45,000 spectators came, but it wasn’t the first mass event of the stadium.

Several days earlier an athletic festival was held and no wonder – Wildparkstadion was considered a very modern stadium and was also built in the common multi-use layout. However, as future showed, it saw its last major athletic event in 1968 and became football-specific in terms of use.

First floodlighting system came in 1957 and was replaced by final 54-meter masts in 1978. Modern giant screen came in 1986, just after the north-eastern side received its upper deck. Completely new main grandstand was the last upgrade in 1993, providing 24 skyboxes.

The improvements didn’t change the overall aging structure’s and in 2006 a decision was made to build three new stands adjoining the one from 1993, this time with no athletic track. The pitch was relocated closer to the main stand, but further operations were halted as the city searched for an alternative new-stadium location. Eventually, in 2014 it was decided to build a new structure at the site of the old Wildparkstadion.

Eventually, comprehensive redevelopment began at the end of 2018. The work was carried out in stages, maintaining the functionality of the facility, and the last element of the old stadium – the main stand – was demolished in late 2020/early 2021. The brand new Karsruher SC stadium was opened on July 19, 2023.