Arena AufSchalke facts for kids
 |
|
|
|
| Former names | Arena AufSchalke (2001–2005) |
|---|---|
| Location | Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Public transit | 302 Veltins Arena |
| Owner | FC Schalke 04 |
| Operator | FC Schalke 04 |
| Executive suites | 90 |
| Capacity | 62,271 (League Matches), 54,740 (International Matches) |
| Record attendance | Ice hockey: 77,803 (7 May 2010, 2010 IIHF World Championship Opening Game) Football: 62,271 (Regular sellout) |
| Field size | 105 × 68 m |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1998–2001 |
| Opened | 13 August 2001 |
| Construction cost | €191 million |
| Architect | Hentrich, Petschnigg und Partner |
| Tenants | |
| FC Schalke 04 (2001–present) Germany national football team (selected matches)
|
|
The Veltins-Arena is a super cool football stadium in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. It's also known as Arena AufSchalke. It opened on August 13, 2001. This stadium is the home ground for the famous football club FC Schalke 04.
It's a very modern stadium with special features. It has a roof that can open and close. Plus, its entire grass field can slide out of the stadium! This makes it great for many different events.
The Veltins-Arena has hosted big events. These include the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final and five matches during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It will also host four matches in Euro 2024. For football matches, it can hold over 62,000 fans.
Contents
History of the Arena
Plans for a new stadium started in the late 1990s. Fans and managers of FC Schalke 04 wanted to leave their old stadium, the Parkstadion. They dreamed of a new, modern place for games and other events.
After Schalke 04 won the UEFA Cup in 1997, the idea became a reality. In 1998, a German company was hired to build the stadium. It cost about €186 million to build this amazing arena.
Where the Stadium Is Built
The Veltins-Arena was built very close to the old Parkstadion. This area is called the "Berger Feld". There was a challenge because old mine shafts ran deep under the ground. These shafts could have caused the ground to shift.
To solve this, the stadium was built at a special angle. Instead of the usual north-south direction, it faces northeast-southwest. This way, the stadium avoids problems from the old mines.
The arena has two levels of seats that go all around the field. For league matches, some areas have standing room for fans. For international games, these areas are changed into seats. There are also 72 special VIP lounges. These separate the lower and upper seating areas.
Cool Roof and Sliding Pitch
The Veltins-Arena has a special roof that can open and close. It's made of a strong, flexible material. The roof can split into two halves. This means the stadium can be open to the sky or fully covered, depending on the weather.
To keep outside noise down during concerts, there's a second layer on the roof. This creates an air cushion that helps block sound. High above the field, there are four large video screens. Each screen is about 35 square meters. This scoreboard was one of the first of its kind in a football stadium.
One of the most amazing features is the sliding pitch. The entire grass field can move in and out of the stadium! It sits on a huge structure that weighs 11,400 tons. The field can be moved in just four hours.
This sliding pitch has many benefits:
- The grass can grow naturally outside in the sun and fresh air. This keeps it healthy.
- The football field stays safe when other events, like concerts, happen inside.
- The stadium floor can be quickly changed for different events.
- When the field is outside, the empty space inside can be used for parking.
Food and Drinks
The Veltins-Arena has lots of places to get food and drinks. There are 15 small restaurants, 50 grilling stations, and 35 cafés. On a busy match day, they can serve huge amounts of food. This includes thousands of sausages and pretzels!
There's also a 5-kilometer long beer-line. It supplies about 52,000 liters of beer per match day.
Other Exciting Events
The Veltins-Arena has hosted many important events. It held the UEFA Champions League final in 2004. It was also a temporary home for an American football team, the Rhein Fire. The stadium even hosted the World Bowl XII for American football.
The stadium is very flexible. In May 2004, it hosted a pop concert, a football match, and an American football game all within 96 hours! Other events include biathlon races, stock car races, and even operas. In 2009, it hosted a world heavyweight boxing match with 60,000 people watching.
2006 FIFA World Cup
The stadium was one of the places where games were played during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. For the World Cup, it was called FIFA World Cup Stadium Gelsenkirchen. This was because FIFA controls all sponsorships for its tournaments.
One famous moment was when Wayne Rooney was sent off for England during their quarter-final game against Portugal.
Here are the games played at the stadium during the 2006 World Cup:
| Date | Time (CET) | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 June 2006 | 21:00 |  Poland |
0–2 |  Ecuador |
Group A | 52,000 |
| 12 June 2006 | 18:00 |  United States |
0–3 |  Czech Republic |
Group E | 52,000 |
| 16 June 2006 | 15:00 |  Argentina |
6–0 |  Serbia and Montenegro |
Group C | 52,000 |
| 21 June 2006 | 16:00 |  Portugal |
2–1 |  Mexico |
Group D | 52,000 |
| 1 July 2006 | 17:00 |  England |
0–0 (1–3 p) | Portugal |
Quarter-finals | 52,000 |
Speedway Grand Prix Events
The Veltins-Arena hosted the final race of the 2007 Speedway Grand Prix season. This event was called the 2007 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany. Speedway is a type of motorcycle racing on an oval dirt track. It was known as "The richest minute in motorsport" because the winner of the final race won a lot of money.
.jpg)
About 25,000 fans watched Swedish rider Andreas Jonsson win the race. The temporary speedway track inside the arena was 300 meters long.
The arena was also supposed to host the 2008 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany. However, this event was canceled. The track was not safe because of bad weather, even though the roof was closed. The race was later held in Poland.
2010 Ice Hockey World Championship
The Veltins-Arena hosted the opening game of the 2010 IIHF World Championship. This was a huge event for ice hockey. A record-breaking crowd of 77,803 people came to watch! This set a new world record for attendance at an ice hockey game at that time. Host team Germany beat the United States 2–1 in overtime.
2018 German Darts Masters
The stadium also hosted the 2018 German Darts Masters. This darts event set another record. It had an attendance of 20,210 people, which was the most ever for a darts event.
Concerts at the Arena
The Veltins-Arena is a popular place for concerts. It has hosted the Rock im Pott festival several times. Many famous bands have played there, like Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of a Down, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, AC/DC, U2, Coldplay, and Ed Sheeran.
It's also set to host upcoming tours for bands like Rammstein and Taylor Swift's exciting Eras Tour.
How the Arena Inspired Others
The Veltins-Arena is highly praised for its design. It has inspired other modern stadiums around the world. For example, the State Farm Stadium in the U.S. has similar features. It also has a retractable roof and a field that slides out. The Friends Arena and Lucas Oil Stadium also share some design ideas with the Veltins-Arena.
See Also
In Spanish: Veltins-Arena para niños
- Speedway Grand Prix of Germany
