Gelbe Wand

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Lore & Background

The Südtribüne was enlarged after Borussia Dortmund's 1997 UEFA Champions League victory, boosting the stadium's total capacity to 68,800. The southern standing ranks became the largest free-standing grandstand of its kind in Europe, with a capacity of 25,000. The terrace is located on the southern side of the field, and the stadium's four roofed grandstands include eastern and western stands that run the entire length of the pitch.

In Their Own Story

The intimidating power of the Yellow Wall was famously acknowledged by Bastian Schweinsteiger, then a midfielder for Bayern Munich. When asked if he feared Dortmund's players or their manager more, he replied, "It is the Yellow Wall that scares me the most." This reputation contributed to Borussia Dortmund achieving an unbeaten home campaign in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League. The atmosphere generated here has been a constant since the team moved into the Westfalenstadion on 2 April 1974, evolving from a simple standing area into a legendary fixture of European football culture that withstands the pressure of top-flight competition.

Reader's Guide

The Südtribüne is the home end for Borussia Dortmund supporters. It is a standing-only terrace. The Borusseum, the club's museum, is located in the north-east part of the stadium, not in the Südtribüne.

Did You Know?

• The Südtribüne has a capacity of 24,454 for standing spectators.
• It is the largest terrace for standing spectators in European football.
• The terrace is nicknamed Die Gelbe Wand, meaning "The Yellow Wall".
• The southern grandstands were expanded after Dortmund's 1997 Champions League win, not after the 1995 Bundesliga victory.