The new Waldstadion is being built on the same site as its previous incarnation, which was erected in the 1920s and renovated for the 1974 FIFA World Cup and again for the 1988 European Championships. Fondly remembered occasions in the history of the “old” Waldstadion include the waterlogged semi-final game between Poland and West Germany in 1974, and the Muhammad Ali vs Karl Mildenberger bout in 1966.

The city council approved the construction of a new stadium on the existing site in May 2000. The bid dossier proposed modernising the existing stadium, but the city elected to proceed with a completely new arena.

• The final decision favoured the Bögl company’s design of a stadium with a retractable roof and 48,000 seats.
• Mayor Achim Vandreike jokingly christened the new stadium “the world’s largest cabriolet”.
• Construction will be ongoing while the season is in progress, maintaining a minimum capacity of 30,000 for each game.
• Work began on 21 June 2002, with completion scheduled for summer 2005. The new stadium will be a venue for the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2005.

Financing:
€64m from the city of Frankfurt, €20.5m from the state of Hessen, €41.5m capital loan.