BERLIN
OLYMPIASTADION
The iconic Olympiastadion in Berlin is, by capacity, the biggest stadium to be used for the 2024 European Championships. It will be the venue for five matches, including the final on July 15th. With a capacity of 74,667 the Olympiastadion is the largest all-seater stadium in Germany; this summer’s competition will be the third major men’s football tournament to use it as a host venue, following the World Cups in 1974 and 2006.
History of the Olympiastadion
An imposing stadium, the Olympiastadion was constructed as a replacement for Berlin’s Deutsches Stadion, which was designed to be the venue for the ultimately-cancelled 1916 Olympic Games. Originally constructed in 1936, the Olympiastadion was extensively remodelled and renovated for use in the 2006 World Cup. Prior to renovation, three games were played at the venue during the 1974 World Cup: West Germany vs Chile, East Germany vs Chile and Australia vs Chile.
With an eye on creating a more intimate atmosphere for football, the playing field was lowered and the lower tier of seating was rebuilt with a brand new angle of inclination. At a total cost of €242 million, the stadium was equipped with the best technology for artificial illumination and sound equipment while the design of the ground was altered to allow the flow of natural light with the Bell Tower still being showcased to spectators at the open Marathon End. The running track around the pitch was changed from red to blue to reflect the home colours of Hertha BSC.
The flagship venue for the 2006 World Cup, the freshly renovated Olympiastadion played host to six games, including a memorable final in which Italy defeated France on penalties to win their first World Cup since 1982.
In 2011, one game of the Women’s World Cup took place at the Olympiastadion while the 2015 Champions League final between Juventus and Barcelona was played at the stadium, with Barca winning the match 3-1. The ground is home to Hertha BSC but has been used by Union Berlin for European matches.
Aside from football, various music concerts have been held here with artists including the Rolling Stones, Madonna and U2 performing to thousands of fans. Other sports hosted at the Olympiastadion include athletics – with the 2018 European Championships held here – as well as American Football with Berlin Thunder based at the stadium for four years between 2003 and 2007.
What games will be played at the Olympiastadion?
Five games will be played at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, including the final. The matches scheduled to take place there are:
- Spain vs Croatia (Group B, 15th June)
- Poland vs Austria (Group D, 21st June)
- Netherlands vs Austria (Group D, 25th June)
- Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group B (Round of 16, 29th June)
- Winner Match 43 vs Winner Match 44 (Quarter-finals, 6th July)
- Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 50 (Final, 14th July)
Location of the Olympiastadion
The Olympiastadion is located around 12 kilometres outside Berlin city centre and can be easily accessed by numerous transport methods.
By U-Bahn The underground train of Berlin, the U-Bahn, will take you directly to the Olympiastadion on line U2. The terminus station, Olympia-Stadion, is a short walk to the entrance of the stadium and the journey time from Alexanderplatz in central Berlin to the station is less than 30 minutes.
By S-Bahn Berlin’s suburban rail service, the S-Bahn, also provides an easy connection to the Olympiastadion. Its station – also called Olympiastadion but separate from the U-Bahn Olympia-Stadion – is located just a short walk from the stadium. Services S3 and S9 will take you directly to the station from Berlin with similar journey times to the U-Bahn. For events at the Olympiastadion, there will often be extra services running for passengers.
By Bus Buses also run to the Olympiastadion, with services M49 and 218 stopping at Flatowallee. From here, the stadium is just a short walk away.
By Road The stadium can be accessed by road by travelling along the Heerstraße and turning onto Flatowallee. Parking is available at the Olympiastadion on days when there are no scheduled events but public transport is recommended on days such as matchdays as the area will be heavily congested.
By Air The nearest airport to the Olympiastadion is Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), which lies around 30 kilometres south-east of the stadium. Berlin Brandenberg is served by multiple airlines offering domestic and international services both to Europe and further afield.
Capacity of the Olympiastadion
The Berlin Olympiastadion has a capacity of 74,667, making it the largest all-seater stadium in Germany.
