Deutsche Bank Park
Home of Eintracht Frankfurt, this historic stadium has hosted World Cup matches, NFL games, and major finals.
Waldstadion (German pronunciation: [ˈvalt.ʃtaːdi̯ɔn], Forest Stadium), currently known as Deutsche Bank Park for sponsorship purposes, is a retractable roof sports stadium in Frankfurt, Germany. The home stadium of the football club Eintracht Frankfurt, it was opened in 1925. The stadium has been upgraded several times since then; the most recent remodelling was its redevelopment as a football-only stadium in preparation for the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany
Lore & Background
The original stadium was opened on 21 May 1925, after four years of construction, its total cost having been 3.7 million marks. The site of a former military shooting range was chosen as the location of the sports park. The stadium had a capacity of 35,000 spectators. The Waldstadion's first major national event was the final of the German football championship on June 7, 1925.
Between 24 and 28 July 1925, it hosted the 1925 Workers' Summer Olympiad. In 1937, the spectator capacity was increased to 55,000. The first major changes were made following a game in May 1953. The renovated and enlarged Waldstadion was reopened on 14 May 1955.
In December 1960, an ice rink was opened. In 1960 the stadium was given floodlights. The first Bundesliga game took place on 24 August 1963. The stadium hosted the World Championships in track cycling in 1966 and the heavyweight boxing championship between Muhammad Ali and Karl Mildenberger on 10 September 1966.
The second major renovation was needed for the 1974 FIFA World Cup. From May 1972 to January 1974, the stadium was rebuilt virtually from scratch. The opening ceremony of the 1974 World Cup was held at the Waldstadion. In 1978, improved drainage and undersoil heating were installed. The first final of the newly introduced Women's European Cup was held at the stadium in May 2002.
Reader's Guide
The stadium has a capacity of 60,100 spectators for league matches. It is the sixth largest football stadium in Germany. The sports complex includes a swimming pool, a tennis complex, a beach volleyball court and a winter sports hall. The arena has its own railway station, Frankfurt Stadion, on the national rail network. The stadium was one of the nine venues of 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, and hosted four matches including the final. It also hosted five matches of the UEFA Euro 2024. The 2027 UEFA Europa League final will be played at the stadium. In 2023, it hosted two regular season National Football League (NFL) American football games as part of the NFL Germany Games.
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