Stadion Wankdorf facts for kids
The stadium on a matchday
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| Former names | Stade de Suisse (2005–2020) Wankdorfstadion (2020–present) |
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| Location | Papiermühlestrasse 71 CH-3022 Bern, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 46°57′47.40″N 7°27′53.40″E / 46.9631667°N 7.4648333°E |
| Owner | Stade de Suisse Wankdorf Nationalstadion AG |
| Operator | Stade de Suisse Wankdorf Nationalstadion AG |
| Capacity | 32,000 (football) 45,000 (concerts) |
| Surface | Artificial grass (Polytan LigaTurf RS Pro CoolPlus) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2003 |
| Opened | 30 July 2005 |
| Construction cost | CHF 350 million (2005) |
| Architect | Marazzi Generalunternehmung AG |
| Tenants | |
| BSC Young Boys (2005–present) Switzerland national football team |
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The Wankdorf Stadium (also known as Stadion Wankdorf in German) is a famous football stadium located in Bern, Switzerland. It's the second-biggest football stadium in Switzerland where everyone gets a seat! It's the proud home of the BSC Young Boys football team. This stadium was also a key place for the big UEFA Euro 2008 football tournament.
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History of Wankdorf Stadium
The Wankdorf Stadium you see today was built on the same spot as an older, very famous stadium. The original Wankdorf Stadium was where the exciting 1954 FIFA World Cup final took place. That match is still remembered as The Miracle of Bern! The old stadium was taken down in 2001 to make way for the new one.
Building the New Stadium
The new stadium officially opened its doors on July 30, 2005. It can hold 32,000 fans, and every single person gets a seat. That's a lot of seats!
Before the official opening, the very first football match was played here on July 16, 2005. The home team, Young Boys, played against Olympique de Marseille. Young Boys lost 2–3, but it was a good test for the stadium's facilities. Only 14,000 tickets were sold for this first game.
Solar Power at the Stadium
A cool fact about the Wankdorf Stadium is that it has solar panels built right into its roof! These panels are super helpful. They produce a lot of electricity every year – about 1,200,000 kWh. That's enough power for many homes!
Stadium Name Change
When the new stadium first opened in 2005, it was called Stade de Suisse. But 15 years later, in June 2020, it got a new name. It was renamed Stadion Wankdorf to honor the history of the original stadium and its important past.
Concerts and Music Events
The Wankdorf Stadium isn't just for football; it's also a popular place for huge music concerts! Many famous artists have performed here for thousands of fans.
- Bruce Springsteen rocked the stadium on June 30, 2009, to a sold-out crowd of over 36,000 people.
- AC/DC played here twice, in 2010 and 2016, bringing their loud rock music to big audiences.
- P!nk performed her energetic show on July 10, 2010.
- Muse had a sold-out concert on June 15, 2013.
- Bon Jovi played at the stadium in 2006 and again in 2013, with thousands of fans singing along.
- Depeche Mode had a sold-out show on June 7, 2013.
- One Direction brought their tour to the stadium on July 4, 2014.
- Celine Dion performed a sold-out show on July 15, 2017, singing in both English and French.
- Rammstein had a concert on June 5, 2019, which sold out in just a few hours!
The Special Red Seat
The Wankdorf Stadium has a unique feature: a single red seat among all the black and yellow ones! This special seat was the very first one installed in the stadium, back on January 20, 2005.
Who Sits in the Red Seat?
The honor of putting in this first seat went to Walter Eich, a former player and manager for the Young Boys team. You can't buy a ticket for this seat. Instead, a special guest gets to sit there for every game. This person is usually someone important, often with strong connections to the Young Boys football club.
Ice Hockey Record
The Wankdorf Stadium's artificial grass field made it perfect for a special ice hockey event. On January 14, 2007, the stadium hosted a huge outdoor ice hockey game.
A Massive Crowd for Hockey
It was a big rivalry match between two local teams, SC Bern and SC Langnau. An amazing 30,076 fans filled the stadium to watch the game! Tickets for this event sold out incredibly fast, in less than 53 hours. This set a new record for outdoor ice hockey attendance in Europe at the time. These two teams often play in front of large crowds, with over 17,000 fans usually filling SC Bern's regular home arena.
Major Football Matches
The Wankdorf Stadium has been a host for many important football games, including international tournaments and qualification matches.
UEFA Euro 2008 Matches
The stadium was one of the chosen venues for the UEFA Euro 2008 football championship. The Netherlands played all three of their group stage games here:
| Date | Time (CEST) | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 June 2008 | 20:45 |  Netherlands |
3–0 |  Italy |
Group C | 30,777 |
| 13 June 2008 | 4–1 |  France |
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| 17 June 2008 | 2–0 |  Romania |
Other International Games
The stadium has also hosted many other international football matches, including friendly games and World Cup qualifiers.
| Date | Result | Competition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 October 2005 | Switzerland  |
1–1 | France |
2006 FIFA World Cup Qualification |
| 12 November 2005 | 2–0 |  Turkey |
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| 29 February 2012 | 1–3 |  Argentina |
Friendly | |
| 30 May 2012 | Spain  |
4–1 |  South Korea |
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| 15 August 2012 | England  |
2–1 | Italy |
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| 12 October 2012 | Switzerland |
1–1 |  Norway |
2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification |
| 6 September 2013 | 4–4 |  Iceland |
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| 15 October 2013 | 1–0 |  Slovenia |
Images for kids
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The Wankdorf Stadium before a Champions League Match (2021)
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See also
In Spanish: Stadion Wankdorf para niños
- List of football stadiums in Switzerland
