The Veltins-Arena Opening Era

Lore & Background

The stadium opened in August 2001 as 'Arena AufSchalke'. It was temporarily renamed 'FIFA World Cup Stadium Gelsenkirchen' for the 2006 World Cup, during which it hosted four matches, none involving the German national team.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the new bowl smelled of fresh concrete and cut grass, unfamiliar compared to the old turf. A veteran fan clutched his ticket for the inaugural friendly against Bayern Munich, eyes scanning the sleek white roof above. As the first whistle blew under the floodlights, the silence broke into a roar that echoed off the modern steel, proving that while the walls had changed, the heart of the Royal Blues beat exactly as before.

Reader's Guide

The Veltins-Arena is located in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, and has been Schalke's home ground since 2001.

Did You Know?

• The stadium opened in 2001 as Arena AufSchalke.
• It was temporarily renamed FIFA World Cup Stadium Gelsenkirchen for the 2006 World Cup.
• The stadium hosted four matches during the 2006 World Cup, but none involved Germany.