Arena AufSchalke – tournament stadium description

What matches will take place at Arena AufSchalke during Euro 2024?

How Arena AufSchalke compares to other Euro 2024 venues?

What is the history of Arena AufSchalke?

Before the 1974 World Cup, a new Parkstadion was built in Gelsenkirchen. It was a huge stadium, whose stands rested on slopes and could accommodate 70,000 spectators. Over time, however, mining damage was discovered, and planning for another venue began as early as the late 1980s.

Eventually, the first shovel was not driven in until November 1998, and the opening of the stadium took place in August 2001. The construction of the arena was financed by the club, and the last installment of the loan taken out for the construction was paid off in 2019. The facility was built near the old Parkstadion, which still functions today, but in a much more modest form after the demolition of most of the stands, serving FC Schalke 04 reserves and youth teams.

What events has Arena AufSchalke hosted so far?

The stadium has hosted, among others, the 2006 World Cup matches and the 2004 Champions League final. It has also hosted speedway competitions, the opening match of the Ice Hockey World Championships (2010), boxing fights and concerts. On a daily basis, the host club is FC Schalke 04.

What does Arena AufSchalke look like?

The stadium is considered one of the most modern in the world. The facility is equipped with a retractable roof and the ability to slide the turf outwards. It is also possible to move the lower part of the south stand backwards to make room, for example, for a stage during a concert. A quadruple video screen is suspended over the center of the pitch.

The first rows of the stands are located slightly above the level of the pitch. The stands are divided into two tiers and are equipped with blue folding plastic seats. Some sections of the auditorium have standing areas (capacity for league matches is more than 62,000 spectators). The facility has VIP areas, restaurants or stores, as well as the FC Schalke 04 museum.

What is the name of the stadium in Gelsenkirchen?

The stadium was originally named Arena AufSchalke and is colloquially called that to this day. In 2005, Veltins brewery became the venue's title sponsor, so the official name is Veltins-Arena. In time for Euro 2024, the name Arena AufSchalke will be back again.

What interesting facts are related to Arena AufSchalke?

• The expression "auf Schalke" in German is not quite correct, although this type of grammatical construction (derived from Slavic languages) can be encountered in colloquial speech in the Ruhr region. In simple terms, the word "auf" meaning "on" found its way into the name thanks to the Poles, who used to go "on Schalke" ("na Schalke" in Polish)
• Schalke is the district from which the club FC Schalke 04 originated and from which, in fact, it took its name – although the Arena AufSchalke is already located in another part of the city (Erle)
• An interesting phenomena is the biathlon competition, known as the World Team Challenge or Biathlon auf Schalke, held every year at the stadium between Christmas and New Year's Day. The competition is not part of the World Cup, but it enjoys great popularity and prestige and is even described as "the greatest biathlon spectacle in the world"
• The stadium features a unique system of beer piping. The pipes total more than 5 kilometers in length and feed cooled beer from the 52 tanks in the basement to pubs located throughout the facility

Where is Arena AufSchalke located?

The stadium is located in the Erle district (in the geometric center of Gelsenkirchen, if one were to consider the administrative boundaries), near the A2 highway and about 6 km north of the city's main train station.