RheinEnergieStadion

Lore & Background

Under the Treaty of Versailles (1919), Cologne's fortifications were removed, allowing construction of a new stadium and creating 15,000 jobs. The new stadium, called Müngersdorfer Stadion, cost 47.4 million Deutsche Mark. The first international match was on 20 November 1927, a 2–2 draw between Germany and the Netherlands. Germany has played 19 times at the stadium, with only one loss. The first post-war game saw 1. FC Nürnberg beat 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2–1 before 75,000. In 1929, over 38,000 participants took part in non-professional track meets; after 1933, Jews were no longer allowed. After the war, only professional sports have been held. Renovations occurred from 1972 to 1975 and from 2002 to 2004. In 1974, Cologne's bid to host the World Cup was approved, but the city could not raise enough money; a 61,000-seat arena was inaugurated on 12 November 1975 with a 1–0 win by 1. FC Köln over SC Fortuna Köln. The 2002–2004 renovation removed track-and-field facilities, bringing spectators closer to the pitch.

In Their Own Story

October, a Tuesday. The Rhine is grey and the wind off the river cuts through the anoraks of the away end. But the Rivale is a furnace. Fifty thousand voices push a single note—'Köln, Köln, Köln'—and the concrete floor vibrates under your boots. A ball is flicked up, a header, a scramble, and then the net ripples. The sound that follows is not a cheer; it is a physical force, a wall of air that hits your chest. Strangers hug. A woman in a faded 1978 jersey is crying. The steward at the turnstile just laughs, shakes his head, and lets the crowd surge forward two rows. This is what the RheinEnergieStadion is for. Not the broadcast. Not the sponsors. The two seconds after the ball crosses the line when the whole district becomes one lung, one heartbeat, one long exhale of joy.

Reader's Guide

The stadium is part of Sportpark Müngersdorf, adjacent to Aachener Straße. Accessible by car via the Cologne Beltway, about 1200 m off Bundesautobahn 1. Cologne Stadtbahn line 1 serves the stadium. Capacity is about 50,000 for club matches and 45,965 for international games. The north grandstand houses a museum dedicated to 1. FC Köln. The field is lit by a floodlight system.

Did You Know?

• The stadium hosted the opening match of the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, Argentina vs. Tunisia, won 2–1 by Argentina.
• The 2020 UEFA Europa League final was moved from Gdańsk to this stadium and played behind closed doors; Sevilla beat Inter Milan 3–2.
• In July 2004, the stadium received a bronze medal from the International Olympic Committee for distinguished sporting and leisure facilities.
• During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the arena was called 'FIFA World Cup Stadium Cologne' due to sponsorship contracts.