Public transit Frankfurt Stadion Capacity 51,500 Team Eintracht Frankfurt | Executive suites 81 Height 65 m Phone +49 69 238080121 | |
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Former names Waldstadion (1925–2005)
FIFA World Cup Stadium, Frankfurt (2006 FIFA World Cup)
FIFA Women's World Cup Stadium, Frankfurt (2011 FIFA Women's World Cup) Location Frankfurt, Hessen
Germany Owner Waldstadion Frankfurt Gesellschaft für Projektentwicklung Operator Stadion Frankfurt Management GmbH Address Mörfelder Landstraße 362, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Profiles | ||
The Commerzbank-Arena ( [koˈmɛʁtsbaŋkʔaˌʁeːnaː], sometimes [kɔˈmɛʁts-]) is a sports stadium in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. Commonly known by its original name, Waldstadion [ˈvaltˌʃtaːdi̯ɔn] (English: Forest Stadium), the stadium opened in 1925. The stadium has been upgraded several times since then; the most recent remodelling was its redevelopment as a football-only stadium in preparation for the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2006 FIFA World Cup. With a capacity of 51,500 spectators for league matches and 48,500 for American Football and International Football matches, it is among the ten largest football stadiums in Germany. The stadium was one of the nine venues of 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, and hosted four matches including the final.
Contents
- Commerzbank arena eintracht frankfurt 1 fc k ln 6 2 12 09 2015 groundhopping
- First stadium
- The first modification and the introduction of the Bundesliga
- Second reconstruction
- Current usage
- Football
- American football
- Naming rights
- References
The sports complex, which is owned by the city of Frankfurt, includes the actual stadium and other sports facilities, including a swimming pool, a tennis complex, a beach volleyball court and a winter sports hall. The arena has its own railway station, Frankfurt Stadion, on the national rail network.
The Commerzbank-Arena is home stadium of football club Eintracht Frankfurt whose offices are also located on the premises.
Commerzbank arena eintracht frankfurt 1 fc k ln 6 2 12 09 2015 groundhopping
First stadium
The original stadium was opened in 1925. In 24–28 July, Waldstadion hosted the 1925 Workers' Summer Olympiad. The football final between Germany and Finland was played in front of a crowd of 40,000 spectators. In 1937, the spectator capacity through expansion of the back straight was increased to 55,000.
The first modification and the introduction of the Bundesliga
The first major changes to the stadium were made following a game between Eintracht Frankfurt and 1. FC Nuremberg in May 1953. Almost 70,000 tickets were sold for a stadium envisioned for only 55,000 spectators, and 200 fans were injured as thousands tried to force entry.
The renovated and enlarged Waldstadion was reopened on 14 May 1955 after 19 months of construction work. The stadium once more hosted national team matches as well as some important games for Eintracht Frankfurt, who reached the final round of the German National Championships in 1959. During the run to the final, 81,000 watched Eintracht beat FK Pirmasens - an attendance record that still stands.
In December 1960, an ice rink was opened within the oval of the velodrome. Here, the ice hockey team of Eintracht Frankfurt played their home games until 1981. In 1960 the stadium was given floodlights.
The first Bundesliga game in the Waldstadion took place on 24 August 1963 - a 1–1 draw with 1. FC Kaiserslautern on the first day of the new German national league.
The stadium hosted the World Championships in track cycling in 1966 and the heavyweight boxing championship between Muhammad Ali and Karl Mildenberger on 10 September 1966, won by Ali with a knockout in the 12th round in front of 22,000 spectators.
Second reconstruction
The second major renovation of the Waldstadion was needed for the 1974 FIFA World Cup. From May 1972 to January 1974, the stadium was rebuilt virtually from scratch to meet the requirements of the World Cup venues. The opening ceremony of the 1974 World Cup was held at the Waldstadion.
In 1978, improved drainage and undersoil heating were installed.
The first final of the newly introduced Women's European Cup was held at the stadium in May 2002, and the home team of 1. FFC Frankfurt beat Swedish side Umeå IK 2–0 to lift the trophy.
Current usage
The new Waldstadion is primarily designed as a football arena, but can be used for other turf sports like American football and major events. The grandstand offers rooms that are for meetings, conventions and other events in external markets.
The new arena was officially opened at the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, the test run for the 2006 World Cup. Both the opening match (Germany 4–3 Australia) and the final (Brazil 4–1 Argentina) were hosted at the stadium.
Football
The main users of the stadium is the football team Eintracht Frankfurt, which has used the stadium as its home base since 1963.
In addition, the stadium also serves occasionally as an alternative venue for home games of other teams: 1. FSV Mainz 05 played their qualifying matches for the 2005-06 UEFA Cup against the Armenian representatives Mika and against Keflavík ÍF from Iceland and for the 1st Round proper against Sevilla FC in the Commerzbank Arena.
The women of the local football team 1. FFC Frankfurt defeated Umeå IK 3-2 in the stadium on 24 May 2008 in the final second leg of UEFA Women's Cup, winning the European Cup for the third time and setting up a record for women's club football of 27,500 spectators
The Turkish Football Federation has also staged several games in the arena, as Turks form a significant ethnic minority in Germany. Beşiktaş won the Turkish Super Cup with a 1-0 win over Galatasaray. Due to the suspension by UEFA of the Turkish national stadium, the qualifying matches for UEFA Euro 2008 against Malta (final score 2–0 to Turkey), against Moldova (5–0 for the Turks) and against Norway (final score 2–2) were also played here.
American football
The Waldstadion from 1991 to 2007, with a few interruptions, was home stadium for the NFL Europa's Frankfurt Galaxy American Football team. The stadium hosted World Bowl '98, World Bowl 2000 and World Bowl XV in 2007.
Since 2008 the ground has hosted the final of the German Bowl, final match of the German Football League. An average of around 15,000 fans watched the 2008 and 2009 finals.
Naming rights
As part of a naming sponsorship by Commerzbank AG, the Waldstadion was renamed the Commerzbank-Arena on 1 May 2005 for ten years. Commerzbank will pay around €30 million to the city hosting company as part of the deal. During the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the stadium was officially referred to as the FIFA World Cup Stadium Frankfurt, as FIFA rules do not permit commercial naming of stadia.