Cervin Coliseum – design description

How does the Cervin Coliseum project look in a nutshell?

The new stadium for FC Sion was designed... by its owner and president, who is also an architect! The construction of a new arena for the club has been his dream for years, and the vision he has created is characterized by extraordinary grandeur and innovation.

Indeed, in the city of Sion, with a population of just 35,000, it is planned to build a facility comparable to the most modern stadiums in the world – an enclosed roof, an impressive area of LED screens and huge arches in the structure are just some of the features of the project.

One of the most original solutions is a huge concert shell to stand behind one of the goals. The main stand is also impressive – composed of cascading terraces of fancy, meandering form, it is to house exclusive lodges, a restaurant and a hotel.

A truly innovative idea is a rope-launched platform to protect the turf during concerts and other events. Inspiration was taken from the new Bernabéu, where an equally bold concept was used for the same purpose: an underground warehouse in which segments of the pitch are retracted.

For the project to become a reality, support from local authorities will be needed. The owner himself is also offering a significant contribution, but at the same time he is putting the matter almost on a knife-edge – either the new stadium will be built, or he will abandon further support for the club...

How did the project for a new stadium for FC Sion come about?

At the beginning of 2023, FC Sion's president, Christian Constantin, began signaling that he intended to leave the club in the summer of 2024. Soon after, however, he proposed the construction of a new stadium that would hold 15,000 spectators and cost 120 million Swiss francs. Together with the planned training center, 150 million francs were needed for the investment.

Constantin declared an own contribution of 50 million francs. A further 50 million was to come from loans, and the missing 50 million was to be added by local authorities. Should an agreement be reached with the local authorities, Constantin promised to stay on as club president and continue investing in the team.

What were the previous attempts to build a new stadium for FC Sion?

Constantin has long dreamed of building a new stadium for the club. In 2004, he proposed building a new facility in nearby Martigny, where he himself comes from. In 2007, he created a plan to build a stadium along with a shopping center in Riddes, located between Martigny and Sion (about 15 km west of Sion). Neither of these plans lived to see fruition, but the local authorities allocated funds to renovate the Stade de Tourbillon.

Is the construction of a new stadium for FC Sion necessary?

FC Sion's existing facility, the Stade de Tourbillon, opened in 1968, and with more than 50 years of age, it is one of the oldest venues in Swiss football. Although its condition allows it to continue to be used without major problems, a modern 21st century facility would enhance spectator comfort, club prestige and its capabilities.

The construction of a new arena would also be part of a national trend – modern stadiums have been built in recent years in Lausanne, Schaffhausen and Lucerne, among others.

When did the first concept for a new stadium for FC Sion emerge?

On December 5, 2023, renderings of a new stadium for FC Sion appeared in the pages of L'Illustré. The author of the concept was the club's owner and president himself – Christian Constantin. On January 11, 2024, four entities: the club, the Valais canton and city authorities, along with the regional football association (Association valaisanne de football, AVF), signed a letter of intent to further cooperate on investments in FC Sion's infrastructure.

Although the club's intention was to build a new stadium, the authorities also suggested the possibility of upgrading the existing Stade de Tourbillon. The memorandum indicated that the parties should agree by the end of the year on the details of the investment and work out a joint action plan.

What was the first concept for a new stadium for FC Sion?

According to the initial concept, the new stadium was to be built near the Stade de Tourbillon and would hold 15,000 spectators (or 25,000 for concerts). The stands were to be fully covered and clad on the outside with a facade. At the same time, the edge of the roof was to serve as a huge, circular video screen.

The concert shell, located behind one of the goals, attracted attention – its semicircular shape was inspired by the new concert arena in Las Vegas (Sphere), and the inner side was to serve as a huge screen. The main stand was also to be unique, with multi-level terraces planned in a fancy, meandering form.

Also part of the plan was the construction of a club academy and development projects, the proceeds of which would support FC Sion's operations. All projects were to total 510 million francs.

Who is the creator of the concept for a new stadium for FC Sion?

Christian Constantin was president of FC Sion back in the 1990s. In 2003, he took up the position again – saving the club from collapse – and has held it ever since. Constantin formerly played football himself (as the goalkeeper), and is also an architect running his own architectural firm, Christian Constantin SA.

As president of FC Sion, Constantin became famous for a number of controversial actions, including very frequent changes of the team's coach. On the other hand, during his tenure the team won the Swiss Cup several times and appeared in European competitions.

When was the new stadium concept for FC Sion presented?

The vision presented at the end of 2023 was not final – in May 2024, the first leaks appeared, and on June 25, 2024, the club released a video with a new stadium concept, also developed by Christian Constantin, which was an expansion of the previous plans.

When might a new stadium for FC Sion be built?

According to preliminary assumptions, the stadium would be built by the summer of 2029. Before that, in 2026, the club's academy would be ready, while development investments should be completed by 2033.

According to a letter of intent signed in early 2024, the parties were supposed to reach an agreement by the end of the year, which ultimately did not happen. In the meantime, however, the club presented a new, greatly expanded stadium concept.

Christian Constantin has repeatedly formulated a rather uncompromising stance, announcing that if the construction of the stadium is not achieved, he will resign from supporting the club, which would most likely mean relegating it to the amateur level.

How much is it expected to cost to build a new stadium for FC Sion?

The first information mentioned the cost of building a stadium at 120 million Swiss francs (plus 30 million for the academy). When the first concept came out, the figure of 510 million francs was given, but it included expensive development investments.

The realization of the new, expanded vision for the stadium will certainly be much more expensive than the original version. The plan calls for a number of expensive and high-tech features, such as huge arches, a retractable roof, a rope-lowered big platform and huge LED screens.

In April 2025, Christian Constantin stated in an interview that the construction of the stadium itself, including the academy, is expected to cost 450 million francs – of which 30 million is the cost of creating the academy – so the stadium itself should cost 420 million francs.

Constantin is declaring an own contribution of 400 million francs, although this applies to the entire project, including development plans. Previously, the authorities of the Valais canton also declared that they were ready to cover 30% of the stadium investment costs, but this was before the presentation of the new version of the project.

What does the design of the new stadium for FC Sion entail?

While the first variant of the project could already be considered ambitious, the new, expanded version goes far beyond the original, astonishing in its scale and grandeur.

The stadium will be given a compact, enclosed form, and will feature huge arches running along its length, between which – on spanned cables – it will be possible to stretch a membrane, allowing the roof over the field to open and close.

Inside, as in the original version, a distinctive semi-circular concert shell is to be created, and the main stand is to be formed by cascading terraces of irregular, artistic lines, containing luxury boxes.

The main stand will offer a range of amenities for VIP guests, such as high-end restaurants. A hotel with 100 rooms will also be part of it. Ordinary two-story stands for regular fans will be built on the east and south sides. The capacity of the stadium is expected to be 18,000 spectators, and 30,000 for concerts.

Behind the northern goal will be the aforementioned concert shell, and on its sides will be a wall, turned into a giant screen – like the inside of the shell, as well as the underside of the roof. An interesting amenity will be a drop-down platform to form a podium that will provide protection for the turf when concerts, for example, are held.

The special platform, stage, retractable roof and huge screens will make the facility a modern and attractive space for hosting not only sports events, but also conferences, concerts and other cultural events, such as the annual Sion sous les étoiles festival.

The project was given the working name Cervin Coliseum (Cervin is the French name for the Matterhorn peak). The stadium is still planned for the same location as it was in the first version of the project – a piece north of the Stade de Tourbillon.

What inspired the design of FC Sion's new stadium?

The design of the new stadium for FC Sion draws inspiration from the high-tech, new Bernabéu, as well as modern sports facilities in the United States.

An important objective was to develop an efficient business model – hence the emphasis on being able to host as many diverse events as possible, as well as introducing a wide range of premium offerings and commercial functions.

What additional investments are to be made in connection with the plans to build a new stadium for FC Sion?

The plan calls for three key projects: in addition to the stadium, it includes an academy, as well as development investments.

The academy is expected to play an important role in the club's development – it will serve as both a training center for young talents and a training facility for the first team.

Development investments include the construction of 600 new apartments. Profits generated from these investments would provide a significant boost to the club's budget.