About ten years after being approved by the city of Jena, the new "ad hoc Arena" was opened on July 30, 2024, replacing the old Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld. The path to completing this project was long—and the construction costs were also high, significantly higher than originally planned.

10 years of waiting

We are working hand in hand to ensure that FCC will play in the Bundesliga at some point, announced Andreas Kuhn, managing director of the stadium operator elf5 Jena GmbH, during the official opening. The residents of Jena have at least inaugurated a facility that deserves the Bundesliga.

The road to opening the stadium was not easy, as FCC President Ralph Grillitsch also noted: The city community needed some time to come to terms with this. However, I believe it was the right decision. The path to contacting a company that will help with the first steps of investing is much easier. Visit the site and learn more about investment products. The association fought with the city for decades to create this arena, and in 2015 the city council of Jena finally approved the investment. Four and a half years later, construction contracts were signed, and work could begin.

© Bietergemeinschaft Elex und jenArena

Departures from plan

It took longer than planned, and the costs are significantly higher than initially estimated. Ultimately, it was €58 million instead of €34 million. There are many reasons for this, as Andreas Kuhn explained: We signed contracts in March 2020. Then the pandemic hit very quickly, which set us back a lot and also caused a price explosion. The war in Ukraine also led to rising construction prices, including steel prices. In the face of these difficulties, the stadium director is pleased with the completion of the work.

The stadium has become much larger, Kuhn admits. Contrary to the original plans, a photovoltaic system was installed, and the functional building was expanded by two floors. The arena can now accommodate a total of 15,426 spectators. At the opening on Tuesday evening, 11,397 seats were occupied.

© Bietergemeinschaft Elex und jenArena

100 years of history

In the inaugural match, which took place almost exactly one hundred years after the first opening of the stadium in 1924, FC Carl Zeiss Jena lost 1:2 to Genoa. However, compared to celebrating the grand opening, the result is of secondary importance. This was also noted by President Ralph Grillitsch, who seemed relatively overwhelmed by the new arena: This is another step that can really be a milestone. We have to do something with it. We know where we come from, he said.

Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld was built in 1924 right on the banks of the Saale River, with its nearest section lying just 5 meters from the water. Over the years, the facility belonged to the Ernst Abbe Foundation, named after the local entrepreneur and inventor. It wasn't until 1997 that the wooden sections, which had been in place since the opening, were replaced with new stands, and two years earlier, the artificial lighting installed in 1974 was modernized.