World Cup 2006 Stadiums

The totally refurbished Olympiastadion in Berlin was originally built between 1934 and 1936. Having undergone major a renovation project with an extravagant opening ceremony on July 31st 2004, the stadium has managed to retain its historic character whilst offering visitors a full range of 21st Century amenities. In 1936, American sprinter Jesse Owens raced to victory at the stadium, securing 4 Gold medals in the Olympic Games for his country.

In 1975 the Mungersdorfer Stadion was the only covered stadium in Germany. Home to FC Koln, the modernised World cup Stadium re-opened its doors in June 2004 allowing 45,00 spectators the opportunity to support their team. Throughout time, the original venue has played a part in the history of sport with many International matches during the 1988 Soccer European Cup being held at the Cologne venue.

Originally built in 1974 for the World Cup with a then capacity for 54,000 spectators, many developments have ensued, leading to an increased capacity of 69,000 spectators once final completion has taken place this year. The venue which is home to Borussia Dortmund, is renowned for its South stand, where the home fans congregate and strike fears into the hearts of the visiting team through their display of support.

Having undergone previous renovation projects for the hosting of the 1974 World Cup and the 1988 European championships, the old Waldstadion has been completely rebuilt to host the 2006 World Cup. With work still ongoing, the major milestone reached was the 'big-lift' during the summer of 2004 which saw the cable-stayed roof placed on the venue.
With a history steeped in hosting memorable sporting events, such as the Muhammed Ali v's Karl Mildenberger bout, the new stadium with accommodate some 48,000 supporters during the 006 World Cup.

"This Stadium is a pilot project for the whole world" stated Joseph Blatter, FIFA President.
Officially opened on the 13th and 14th August 2001, the arena AufSchalke which is located beside the old Parkstadion, leads the way in the art of Stadia building.
With a roof that can be closed as required, moveable seating areas and turf that can be removed for watering, the ground-breaking designs incorporated into this venue, make the Gelenskirchen stadium the most modern in Europe.

The first of the 12 World Cup stadiums to be completed, the 50,000 seat hamburg stadium has already joined the exclusive club of "five star Stadia". Having opened its doors on September 2,2000 for the International encounter between Germany and Greece, the return of the German national team has been eagerly awaited. With high expectations of a certain '3 points' should the home team play there during the 2006 World Cup.

Currently in the process of modernisation, the Lower Saxony stadium was originally built in the 1950's on the rubble left over from the 2nd World War. Once completed this fantastic new stadium will have the capacity to accommodate some 48,000 supporters. The Niedersachenstadium has been home to Hannover 96 since 1959, and has hosted both Brazil and Holland played during the 1974 World cup.

Located on the Betzenberg mountain, the Fritz-Walter-Staion first opened its doors in 1920 and in the home of FC Kaiserslautern. by the time kick off of the 2006 World Cup rolls around, the dramatically renovated stadium will accommodate 48,500 spectators in the venue known as he 'smallest world cup city'.

Built in 1956 from the rubble of the 2nd world War the Zentralstadium was originally known as the 'Stadium of the one hundred thousand'. Having received its name due to the capacity for 100,00 spectators to support their teams, the venue has undergone significant refurbishment since then. In October 1997 the Leipzig council ruled that a new stadium was to be constructed within the original building to allow the venue adhere to modern requirements. The completed stadium was opened in June 2004 accommodating some 45,000 spectators.

One of the most innovative stadiums ever built is currently under construction to host the 2006 World up in the Northern Frottmaning area of the city. Constructed over 3 tiers, the diamond shaped, translucent shell acts as a projection surface ensuring the 66,000 fans are shrouded in a cascade of colours. With 2 new tunnels being developed to link the venue to the underground, this new stadium is set to host some of the most exciting games of the tournament.

Opened in 1991, the refurbished Franken-Stadion has its first major test run in advance of the kick off of the 2006 World Cup when it is the venue for the 'Confederations Cup' in 2005. With continual improvements including the lowering of the pitch and the recent addition of new stands, capacity has increased to allow 44,308 seated spectators attend the matches while also boasting a new 3 storey building to entertain 800 guests of honour.

The previously named 'Neckar Stadium' was originally built in 1933. A series of renovations followed over the coming years to ensure major events could be hosted at the venue. 1951 saw the completion of a new stand, while in 1955/1956 the Connstatter and the Unterturkheimer ends were extended to facilitate fans. Now known as the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadium, the venue was brought up to FIFA World Cup standards as early as 2001, boasting a 'Business centre' with 44 executive boxes, 1,500 business seats and state of the art facilities for visitors, media and sportsmen alike.