Allianz Arena facts for kids
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"Schlauchboot" ("dinghy")
Munich Football Arena (UEFA competitions) |
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| Address | Franz-Beckenbauer-Platz 5, 80939 |
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| Location | Munich, Bavaria, Germany |
| Public transit | at Fröttmaning |
| Owner | Allianz Arena München Stadion GmbH |
| Operator | Allianz Arena München Stadion GmbH |
| Executive suites | 106 |
| Capacity |
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| Field size | 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft) |
| Surface | Hybrid grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 21 October 2002 |
| Built | 2003–2005 |
| Opened | 30 May 2005 |
| Construction cost | €340 million |
| Architect |
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| Structural engineer | Ove Arup & Partners |
| Tenants | |
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The Allianz Arena is a famous football stadium in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is known as the Munich Football Arena for big UEFA games. This stadium can hold 70,000 fans for international matches. For games within Germany, it can hold 75,000 people.
The stadium looks very special from the outside. It has plastic panels that can change colors. It was the first stadium in the world to have a full color-changing exterior. The Allianz Arena is the second-largest stadium in Germany. It is located in the northern part of Munich.
Bayern Munich has played its home games here since 2005. Before that, they played at the Munich Olympic Stadium. Another team, 1860 Munich, also used to play here. They sold their share of the stadium to Bayern Munich in 2006. This helped them with money problems. In 2017, Bayern Munich became the only team using the stadium.
A big financial company called Allianz bought the right to name the stadium for 30 years. However, during FIFA and UEFA events, the stadium cannot use the Allianz name. This is because these events have their own sponsors. For example, during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, it was called "FIFA WM-Stadion München". For UEFA club games, it is known as the "Fußball Arena München". It hosted the 2012 UEFA Champions League final and the 2025 UEFA Champions League final. It also hosted matches during UEFA Euro 2024. Since 2012, the FC Bayern Erlebniswelt museum has been inside the arena.
In 2022, the stadium hosted its first regular season National Football League (NFL) game in Germany.
Contents
Stadium Design and Features
The Allianz Arena has a unique design. It was built between 2003 and 2005. The main architects were Herzog & de Meuron.
Seating Capacity
The stadium's capacity has grown over time. In 2006, it could hold 71,000 fans. This included standing room. The lower part of the stadium has 20,000 seats. The middle part has 24,000 seats. The upper part has 22,000 seats. Some seats in the lower corners can turn into standing areas. This allows for more fans.
For German league games, the stadium can hold 75,024 people. For international games, it holds 70,000 seats. The roof covers all seats, but rain can still blow in sometimes. The stadium also has special seats for business guests and the press. There are also luxury boxes and spots for wheelchairs.
Inside the arena, you can find three day-care centers. There is also a big FC Bayern Munich fan shop. Many restaurants and fast-food places are located around the stadium. The arena has four locker rooms for teams and two for referees. There are also warm-up areas for athletes.
Building the Arena
Construction of the Allianz Arena started on October 21, 2002. It officially opened on May 30, 2005. The stadium was designed with a special entrance. This entrance is an elevated walkway. It is separate from the parking area. The parking area is Europe's largest underground car park. The stadium roof has blinds that can open and close. These blinds protect fans from the sun.
Building the stadium used a lot of materials. For example, 120,000 cubic meters of concrete were used for the stadium itself. Another 85,000 cubic meters of concrete were used for the parking garage. Also, 22,000 tonnes of steel were used for the stadium. The parking garage used 14,000 tonnes of steel.
Glowing Exterior
The outside of the arena is made of 2,760 special air panels. These panels are made of ETFE-foil. They are kept inflated with dry air. From far away, the panels look white. But up close, you can see small dots on them. The foil is very thin, only 0.2 millimeters thick.
Each panel can light up in white, red, or blue. The stadium lights up in the colors of the home team playing. It is red for Bayern Munich. It was blue for TSV 1860 Munich. It is white for the German national team. White is also used when the stadium is a neutral place, like for the 2012 UEFA Champions League final. Other colors are possible, but the police ask for single colors. This is to avoid distracting drivers on the nearby highway.
The Allianz Arena's lighting design has inspired other stadiums. For example, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey uses similar lighting. The electricity for the lights costs about €50 per hour. On clear nights, you can see the stadium from mountains 80 kilometers away.
Getting There
Fans can park their cars in a huge parking structure. It has four garages with 9,800 parking spots. There are also 350 spots for buses. Another 130 spots are for people with disabilities.
The stadium is right next to the Fröttmaning U-Bahn station. This station is on the U6 subway line.
Around the Stadium
When visitors leave the subway station, they walk through a park. This park helps guide them to the stadium entrance. A walkway slowly rises from the subway station. It leads up to the stadium's entrance level. On the other side of the highway, there is Fröttmaning Hill. It has a windmill and offers a great view of the stadium. You can also see the Romanesque Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche there. This is the oldest church in Munich.
Stadium Ownership
The Allianz Arena was first owned by a company called Allianz Arena München Stadion GmbH. This company was started in 2001. Both Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich owned equal parts of it. In April 2006, FC Bayern Munich bought 1860 Munich's share. This cost about €11 million. This deal helped 1860 Munich avoid serious money problems. Later, Bayern Munich took over all the shares. Now, Bayern Munich owns 100 percent of the Allianz Arena.
Stadium Name
Allianz paid a lot of money to have the stadium named after them for 30 years. However, Allianz is not a sponsor for UEFA and FIFA events. Because of this, the Allianz logo is covered during Champions League games. It was also removed during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024.
Building Costs
The stadium itself cost €286 million to build. But with financing costs, the total reached €340 million. The city and state also spent about €210 million. This money was for improving the area and local roads.
History of the Arena
On October 21, 2002, people in Munich voted. They decided if a new stadium should be built. They also voted if the city should help with roads and other needs. About two-thirds of the voters said yes. Some people wanted to rebuild the old Olympic Stadium. But its architect, Günther Behnisch, did not agree.
Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron created the stadium's design. It has a see-through outside made of special panels. These panels can light up from the inside. They also clean themselves. Building started in late 2002 and finished by April 2005.
The Fröttmaning and Marienplatz subway stations were improved. This was done to handle more people. The Fröttmaning station got more tracks. The Marienplatz station got new tunnels for walkers. This helped reduce crowding. The A9 highway was also made wider. This helped with the extra traffic.
On May 19, 2012, the 2012 UEFA Champions League final was held here. Bayern Munich played against Chelsea. Chelsea won the game after a penalty shootout. On May 25, 2012, Bayern opened its museum, FC Bayern Erlebniswelt. It is located inside the Allianz Arena.
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After TSV 1860 Munich left the stadium in 2017, Bayern Munich made some changes. They replaced the old grey seats with new red and white ones. These are the club's colors. The stadium now shows the FC Bayern crest. It also has "FC Bayern München" written on one side. On the other side, it says "Mia San Mia," which is the club's motto. Walls were decorated with pictures of the club's history. A larger FC Bayern store was also opened.
On September 19, 2024, it was announced that the stadium's address would change. It became "Franz Beckenbauer Platz 5". This honored the German football legend Franz Beckenbauer. He was born in Munich and played for Bayern Munich. The change happened on May 1, 2025. This was before the 2025 UEFA Champions League final held at the stadium.
Opening Day Celebrations
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On May 30, 2005, 1860 Munich played a friendly game. They won 3–2 against 1. FC Nürnberg. The next day, Bayern Munich played against the German national team. Both games were completely sold out. Patrick Milchraum of TSV 1860 scored the first official goal at the stadium.
On June 2, 2005, the first "arena derby" happened. The two home teams played each other. TSV 1860 won this game with a goal by Paul Agostino. Before the official opening, former players from both clubs played a game. About 30,000 people watched. This game helped test all the stadium's features.
The first goal in a competitive game was scored by Roy Makaay of FC Bayern. This happened on July 26, 2005. The first goal by a visiting team was scored by Thomas Hitzlsperger of VfB Stuttgart. Stuttgart won that game 2–1.
Owen Hargreaves of FC Bayern scored the first goal in a league game. This was on August 5, 2005. Bayern won 3–0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The first goal by a visiting team in a league game was scored by Dynamo Dresden. This was on September 9, 2005, against 1860 Munich. Dresden won 2–1. They were the first visiting team to win a league game at Allianz Arena.
Miroslav Klose of Werder Bremen scored the first goal against FC Bayern in a league game. This happened on November 5, 2005. Bayern still won that game 3–1. FC Bayern sold out its first ten home games at the Allianz Arena.
International Football Matches
UEFA Champions League Finals
The Allianz Arena has hosted important UEFA Champions League finals.
| UEFA Champions League finals | ||||||
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| Season | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Attendance | ||
| 2011–12 | Chelsea  |
1–1 (4–3 p) |
 Bayern Munich |
62,500 | ||
| 2024–25 | Paris Saint-Germain  |
5–0 |  Inter Milan |
64,327 | ||
2006 FIFA World Cup Games
The stadium was one of the places for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. During the World Cup, it was called "FIFA World Cup Stadium Munich".
| Date | Time (CEST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
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| 9 June 2006 | 18:00 | Germany |
4–2 |  Costa Rica |
Group A (opening match) | 66,000 |
| 14 June 2006 | 18:00 | Tunisia  |
2–2 |  Saudi Arabia |
Group H | 66,000 |
| 18 June 2006 | 18:00 | Brazil  |
2–0 |  Australia |
Group F | 66,000 |
| 21 June 2006 | 21:00 | Ivory Coast  |
3–2 |  Serbia and Montenegro |
Group C | 66,000 |
| 24 June 2006 | 17:00 | Germany |
2–0 |  Sweden |
Round of 16 | 66,000 |
| 5 July 2006 | 21:00 | Portugal  |
0–1 |  France |
Semi-finals | 66,000 |
UEFA Euro 2020 Matches
The Allianz Arena also hosted games for UEFA Euro 2020.
| Date | Time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
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| 15 June 2021 | 21:00 | France |
1–0 | Germany |
Group F | 12,000 |
| 19 June 2021 | 18:00 | Portugal |
2–4 | 12,926 | ||
| 23 June 2021 | 21:00 | Germany |
2–2 |  Hungary |
12,413 | |
| 2 July 2021 | 21:00 | Belgium  |
1–2 | Italy |
Quarter-finals | 12,984 |
UEFA Euro 2024 Matches
The stadium hosted several matches during UEFA Euro 2024. This included the opening match.
| Date | Time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
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| 14 June 2024 | 21:00 | Germany |
5–1 |  Scotland |
Group A (opening match) | 65,052 |
| 17 June 2024 | 15:00 | Romania  |
3–0 |  Ukraine |
Group E | 61,591 |
| 20 June 2024 | 15:00 | Slovenia  |
1–1 |  Serbia |
Group C | 63,028 |
| 25 June 2024 | 21:00 | Denmark  |
0–0 | 64,288 | ||
| 2 July 2024 | 18:00 | Romania |
0–3 |  Netherlands |
Round of 16 | 65,012 |
| 9 July 2024 | 21:00 | Spain  |
2–1 | France |
Semi-finals | 62,042 |
2025 UEFA Nations League Finals
The stadium also hosted the 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals.
| Date | Time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
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| 4 June 2025 | 21:10 | Germany |
1–2 | Portugal |
Semi-finals | 65,823 |
| 8 June 2025 | 21:00 | Portugal |
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Spain |
Final | 65,852 |
Other Sports Events
American Football Games
The Allianz Arena has also hosted American football games. On February 9, 2022, it was announced that the stadium would host an NFL International Series game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played against the Seattle Seahawks. The Buccaneers won 21–16. This was the first regular-season NFL game ever played in Germany. On November 10, 2024, the stadium hosted another NFL game. The Carolina Panthers beat the New York Giants 20–17 in overtime.
| Year | Date | Designated visitor |
Score | Designated home team |
Score | Attendance | Event |
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| 2022 | November 13 | Seattle Seahawks | 16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 21 | 69,811 | NFL International Series |
| 2024 | November 10 | New York Giants | 17 | Carolina Panthers | 20OT | 70,132 |
See also
In Spanish: Allianz Arena para niños
- List of stadiums
- NFL International Series
