Germany: President of Union Berlin on the possibilities of a new stadium

source: StadiumDB.com; author: Paulina Skóra

Germany: President of Union Berlin on the possibilities of a new stadium After building a new training and youth center, Union Berlin plans to expand Alte Försterei to 40,500 seats, nearly doubling its current capacity. The club president commented on the reasons for this move.

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The only stadium of its kind in Germany

After the expansion, our stadium will meet all the requirements for national and international club competitions. Moreover, our stadium has been too small for many years, and many people who would like to visit cannot get tickets. Expanding to just over 40,000 seats will ease that situation, said President Dirk Zingler to SPORT BILD.

Alte Försterei currently offers 18,395 standing places and 3,617 seating places. After the modernization, the stadium will have 32,000 standing places, more than any other stadium in Germany. This aims to create a unique atmosphere, even though seating would generate significantly higher revenue. From an architectural standpoint, Union's new stadium will be inspired by its roots in the nearby industrial district of Oberschöneweide. There will also be yellow clinker brick facades, ensuring that it will be a unique stadium, said Zingler. The renovation could be completed by 2027, with the team playing home games at the Olympiastadion during the 2026/27 season.

Design of Alte Försterei© 1. FC Union Berlin

The modernization could double Union’s revenue

Currently, the income from one home match is slightly over €500,000. With the renovation, the club could expect to double that. Bremen, with a comparable capacity, earns around €25 million per season, averaging approximately €1.47 million per match. The Weserstadion has 31,500 seats.

Union Berlin will allocate over €100 million for the expansion of its entire infrastructure. The funds will be raised, among other methods, through a new edition of the Alte Försterei share campaign, allowing club members to purchase shares in Stadionbetriebs AG. One share will cost €500, and each member can buy up to ten shares from a pool of 120,000 available from December. It is estimated that Union could raise up to €60 million through this initiative.

Design of Alte Försterei© 1. FC Union Berlin

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