Westfalenstadion

Lore & Background

Plans to construct a new stadium were drawn up in the 1960s, as the need arose to expand and refurbish the traditional ground of Borussia Dortmund, the Stadion Rote Erde. In 1966, the team won the 1966 Cup Winners' Cup and it became clear that the Stadion Rote Erde was too small. The city of Dortmund was not able to finance a new stadium and federal institutions were unwilling to help. In 1971, Dortmund was selected to replace Cologne, which withdrew its plans to host games in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Funds originally set aside for Cologne were re-allocated to Dortmund. Plans for a 60 million DM oval stadium were discarded; instead, a cheaper 54,000 spectator football arena built of pre-fabricated concrete sections became a reality. Costs amounted to 32.7 million DM. On 2 April 1974, Borussia Dortmund officially moved into their new home. Having been relegated in 1972, Borussia Dortmund was the only member of the 2. Bundesliga to host the 1974 World Cup games in a completely new stadium. In 1976, after promotion to the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund played its first game in Germany's highest division in their new home stadium. On 16 May 2001, the Westfalenstadion hosted the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Alavés.

In Their Own Story

Under the floodlights cutting through the Ruhr Valley haze, tension thickens until it is palpable. A goal here sends a physical shockwave through the concrete, rattling railings and silencing opposition benches within seconds. It is not merely watching football; it is being submerged in an ocean of yellow noise where every chant, jump, and breath moves as one organism.

Reader's Guide

The stadium is situated directly next to Stadion Rote Erde and is composed of four roofed grandstands facing the playing field on the east, south, west and north sides. The eastern and western stands run the entire length of the field, while the breadth is covered by the north and south stands. The 24,454 capacity Südtribüne (South Bank) is the largest terrace for standing spectators in European football. Famous for the intense atmosphere it breeds, the south terrace has been nicknamed Die Gelbe Wand, meaning 'The Yellow Wall'. The Borusseum, the museum of Borussia Dortmund, is located in the north-east part of the stadium. The stadium hosted matches in the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. It also hosted the 2001 UEFA Cup final. Various national friendlies and qualification matches for World and European tournaments have been played there, as well as matches in European club competitions. The stadium hosted six matches for the UEFA Euro 2024, which included a round of 16 and a semifinals match.

Did You Know?

• The stadium holds the European record for average fan attendance, set in the 2011–12 season with almost 1.37 million spectators over 17 games.
• The Südtribüne is the largest terrace for standing spectators in European football.
• The 1974 FIFA World Cup Group 2 match between Scotland and Zaire on 14 June was the first time a Sub-Saharan African country played a FIFA World Cup game.
• During renovations for the 2006 World Cup, construction workers found an undetonated 1,000-pound bomb dropped by an Allied bomber in the Second World War about one metre below the halfway line.