Frankfurt Arena – tournament stadium description

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

How Frankfurt Arena compares to other Euro 2024 venues?

What is the history of Frankfurt Arena?

Plans to build a new sports complex in Frankfurt am Main appeared as early as the end of the 19th century. This was under the influence of the first modern Olympic Games, held in 1896 in Athens. Frankfurt also wanted to host the Olympics, but nothing ultimately came out of these plans.

The realization of the complex did not begin until after World War I. The facilities were to be built far from the city center, in the midst of a forest, on the site of a former military shooting range. Construction began in 1921, but a financial crisis halted the work. The impetus to complete the project was the decision to hold the 1925 Workers' Olympics in Frankfurt.

The opening of the new stadium took place on May 21, 1925. In addition to the stadium, the complex included a swimming pool and a cycling track. The architect of the entire complex was Max Bromme, the stadium's main stand was designed by Gustav Schaumann. The cost of building the center was 3.7 million marks.

The stadium received a 500-meter running track, surrounded by stands that could accommodate about 35,000 spectators. The stands were mostly made of earthen embankments. The exception was the main stand, located on the northeast side. The main stand stretched 120 meters in length, and its style was reminiscent of the architecture of ancient Greek theaters.

In 1937, the stand located opposite the main stand was expanded, increasing the capacity of the stadium to 55,000 spectators.

As a result of overcrowding in the stands during the match between Eintracht Frankfurt and 1. FC Nürnberg, played on May 17, 1953, about 200 spectators were injured. This was followed by a decision to start a complete reconstruction of the stadium.

The reconstruction increased the capacity of the stands to 87,200 spectators, making the stadium the second largest in West Germany (after the Olympic Stadium in Berlin). The opening of the facility after the reconstruction took place on May 14, 1955.

The next major modernization was carried out between May 1972 and January 1974. The work took place in connection with preparations for hosting the 1974 World Cup. The capacity of the stadium after reconstruction decreased to about 60 thousand spectators.

In the 1990s, plans began to radically rebuild the stadium. In 1993, three rather abstract visions, modeled on American stadiums, were presented by Albert Speer (son of the chief architect of the Third Reich of the same name). Due to the high cost, none of them were realized.

Reconstruction was not carried out until before the 2006 World Cup, and a design by the gmp Architekten was adopted for implementation, which actually involved the construction of a new stadium to replace the predecessor. However, the project was implemented in stages to maintain continuity of operation.

Work began in the summer of 2002. In place of the former embankments, completely new steep reinforced concrete structures were built. The athletics track was removed, and the whole facility was finished with a roof with an innovative opening and closing system. The full inauguration of the new facility took place on June 15, 2005, when the opening match of the Confederations Cup was played there.

Between 2022 and 2023, adjustments were made to the stand behind the northwest goal, which seats Eintracht's most passionate fans. The change included the expansion of the upper tier of this stand with additional rows in the lower section, at the expense of eliminating the boxes and balconies.

What events has Frankfurt Arena hosted so far?

Frankfurt Stadium has hosted a number of prestigious world-class sporting events. Only since its transformation into a football-specific venue (2002–2005) has it hosted matches of the Confederations Cup in 2005 (including the opening match and the final), the World Cup in 2006, and the Women's World Cup in 2011 (including the final).

Given the facility's earlier history, there have been many more competitions. One of the earliest events was the 1925 Workers' Olympics, and in 1925, 1926 and 1960 German football championship finals were played at the stadium. The Waldstadion also hosted German Cup finals and Super Cup matches, as well as the UEFA Cup final in 1980. Of the major events in the 20th century, the World Cup in 1974 and Euro 1988 should be mentioned.

The stadium has been the venue for competitions in many different sports, including American soccer (such as the World Bowl and the European Championships) and athletics (for example, the German championships), as well as boxing fights. In addition, many concerts by world music stars have been held here. On a daily basis, the facility serves Eintracht Frankfurt.

What does Frankfurt Arena look like?

The building has a rectangular, though contoured form, somewhat similar to an oval. This is a direct result of the football nature of the stadium, as the stands match the shape of the field. The entire structure is covered by a membrane roof with glazing in the end sections. At a central point above the field, a structure carrying four video screens is suspended.

A distinctive feature of the stadium is the ability to fully close the roof, which is done by stretching the membrane on radially spread ropes. This was the first system of its kind in the world, and the solution was later also used at the national stadiums in Bucharest and Warsaw.

The stadium's capacity for league matches is 58,000 spectators, of which 20,000 seats are standing. The stands are of equal height and are divided into two floors, with additional balconies between the floors.

What is the name of the stadium in Frankfurt am Main?

Since 2020, the venue has been called Deutsche Bank Park, and from 2005 to 2020 it was called Commerzbank-Arena. Its earlier, customary name was Waldstadion (Forest Stadium). During Euro 2024, the name Frankfurt Arena will be in effect.

What interesting facts are related to Frankfurt Arena?

• On June 29, 2005, during the Confederations Cup final (Brazil – Argentina 4–1), there was heavy rainfall, which caused an image mishap related to the roof closure system. The closed roof was not properly tightened in one place and more water collected there, which triggered an emergency drain and during the game water spilled onto the pitch near one of the corners
• This was not the first time the weather in Frankfurt played tricks on the organizers. On July 3, 1974, the 1974 World Cup match between Poland and West Germany (0–1) was held here, which went down in history as the "Wasserschlacht von Frankfurt" ("Water battle in Frankfurt"). The game was decisive for advancing to the finals, but due to a cloudburst it was played in terrible conditions, despite the efforts of the organizers, who did their best to mitigate the effects of the disastrous downpour. One of the rollers used to try to drain the water from the field is today in the Eintracht club museum
• Two boxing fights for the world heavyweight championship took place at the stadium. The titles were successfully defended by Muhammad Ali and Volodymyr Klychko
• On September 6, 2014, the Waldstadion hosted a Bundesliga handball match between Rhein-Neckar Löwen and HSV Hamburg. The game attracted 44,189 spectators, which set a world record for handball match attendance. The record was broken on January 10, 2024, when the opening match of the European Handball Championship was held in the Düsseldorf Stadium

Where is Frankfurt Arena located?

The facility is located south of the city's built-up area, amidst a forest and surrounded by other sports facilities, including a swimming pool and sports hall. There is a train station near the stadium, also served by the local S-Bahn railroad.