Düsseldorf Arena – tournament stadium description

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

How Düsseldorf Arena compares to other Euro 2024 venues?

What is the history of Düsseldorf Arena?

The precursor to the current stadium was the Rheinstadion, which opened in 1925. The venue could initially hold 42,500 spectators. The facility was significantly expanded before the 1974 World Cup, when all the stands, with the exception of the southern curve, were enlarged (the stadium's capacity rose to 76,000 spectators) and got a new roof.

At the end of the twentieth century, plans began for another reconstruction, in connection with Germany's candidacy to host the 2006 World Cup. After Germany was awarded the hosting of the tournament in 2000, Düsseldorf decided to change the plans even further, and instead of modernization it was chosen to create a completely new stadium. The decision for the construction was made in the city council in late 2001.

Despite the ambitious plans, Düsseldorf was ultimately not included in the list of host cities, although this no longer affected the fate of the project, as did the relegation of Fortuna Düsseldorf to the fourth division in 2002. In the summer of 2002 the old Rheinstadion was closed and demolition began. The decommissioning was aided by two controlled explosions that took place on September 12 and November 2.

The actual construction of the new stadium began in January 2003. The first match took place as early as September 10, 2004, but the official opening was not made until January 18, 2005. The new stadium stood largely on the site of its predecessor, although the field was moved a piece to the north.

What events has Düsseldorf Arena hosted so far?

The venue's main tenants are Fortuna Düsseldorf footballers. In addition, the facility has hosted friendly matches of national teams. Euro 2024, however, will be by far the biggest sporting event since the new stadium opened.

The stadium is also known for hosting events in sports other than soccer, including American football (such as World Bowl XIII and XIV and the European League of Football final in 2021), motorsports (Race of Champions 2010), boxing (Volodymyr Klychko's three fights for the world heavyweight championship) and even handball (the opening match of the 2024 European Championships was held here).

The stadium also hosts numerous musical events. In addition to many concerts of the world's stars, it has hosted the Sensation event series, as well as the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest.

The stadium has a relatively short history, but it should be added that the former Rheinstadion, which existed on the same site from 1925 to 2002, hosted matches at the 1974 World Cup and 1988 European Championships, as well as the 1981 Cup Winners' Cup final, German Cup finals, German national team matches or the German Athletics Championships.

What does Düsseldorf Arena look like?

The form of the building is enclosed in a rectangular shape, bounded on the outside by a translucent facade. The south stand connects to the hotel. One of the most important features of the arena is the retractable roof over the pitch.

The stands surrounding the pitch are of equal height and are divided into two tiers. Attention inside is drawn to the colorful seats. The stadium offers numerous boxes and business areas. The capacity of the arena with standing seats is 54,600 spectators. The facility ranks among the most modern in all of Germany.

What is the name of the Düsseldorf stadium?

The stadium's first title sponsor (since its opening) was Düsseldorf-based airline LTU – so the facility was called LTU Arena. In 2009 there was the first change of sponsor and the name was changed to Esprit Arena. Another name change (to Merkur Spiel-Arena) was made in 2018. During Euro 2024, the name Düsseldorf Arena will be used.

What interesting facts are related to Düsseldorf Arena?

• The stadium is equipped with a heating of the stands, which provides a temperature of not less than 15 °C in winter
• On January 10, 2024, the stadium hosted the opening match of the European Handball Championship. The event was attended by 53,586 spectators, which set a new world record for handball match attendance. At the opening of the tournament, the German national team defeated Switzerland 27–14
• Due to the organization of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011, the stadium was unavailable for the footballers for a certain period. To provide them with a venue, a temporary stadium with a capacity of just over 20,000 spectators was built right next door. Fortuna Düsseldorf played three league matches there, and in addition, the stadium hosted a match between the Germany and Ukraine under-17 national teams. The facility even received a title sponsor and was called Airberlin World, although it was also colloquially known as Lena-Arena (after singer Lena Meyer-Landrut, who won Eurovision in 2010 and thus brought the competition to Germany the following year).

Where is Düsseldorf Arena located?

 The stadium is located in the northern part of Düsseldorf, in the Stockum district. In the immediate vicinity of the arena are the buildings of the Messe Düsseldorf exhibition center, as well as a complex of sports facilities with tennis courts, practice fields, a skatepark, an athletics hall and an open-air running track. There is a commuter rail service to the stadium, and the Rhine River flows a short distance away.