Volkswagen Arena – stadium description

Although has a sponsored name, it’s not a typical naming rights contract. Volkswagen is not only a long-time club sponsor and major employer in Wolfsburg where it originates from. It also paid half of the cost, sharing it with municipality. Each side gave some €26,5 mln for the city to have a new venue in 2002. The building itself is located beside Volkswagen's factory, near the company's museum.

Most distinctive feature of the ground is its roof covering stands with light membrane. It doesn’t only keep seating bowl protected from elements, it also spreads well over corners of the ground, closing the somewhat elliptic stadium in a rectangular roof form. Inside there are some 30,000 places on two-tiered stands, of which around 8,000 are terraces for local fanatics and away fans.

In its short history the stadium already hosted Champions League games when it advanced to the tournament after a historical first Bundesliga championship in 2009. In 2011 it was also part of the World Cup and despite it being a female tournament, Germans have shown a lot of interest, delivering high attendances.

How Volkswagen Arena compares to other Bundesliga stadiums?