A tennis spectacle in Munich? Zverev makes a special request to Bayern | OneFootball

Alexander Zverev is one of FC Bayern’s most prominent fans. Now, the German tennis star has expressed a special wish—one that his favorite club, of all places, could help him fulfill. The 29-year-old would love to play a tennis match at the Allianz Arena. Such an event could even set a new world record for attendance.

Zverev is actually focused on the Cincinnati Masters right now. Thanks to his position in the world rankings, the German has a first-round bye before things get serious for him in the second round.

However, during a media session ahead of the tournament, the conversation wasn’t exclusively about tennis and the tightly packed tournament schedule. Zverev was asked where he would most like to play in his career.

As a self-proclaimed Bayern Munich fan, the Hamburg native didn’t have to think twice: the Allianz Arena.

“I would absolutely love to play there,” Zverev explained.

With that, the 29-year-old has floated a truly spectacular idea. The home stadium of Germany’s record-holding champion soccer club seats around 75,000 spectators for soccer matches, offering a setting that would be extraordinary for tennis.

Zverev could set a world record in Munich

If FC Bayern were to actually decide to open its arena for a tennis event, it might even be possible to challenge the world record for attendance at a single tennis match.

That record was set in February 2020 by tennis legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Their charity match, “Match in Africa,” at the stadium in Cape Town was watched by 51,954 spectators.

The capacity of the Allianz Arena is significantly higher than that.

Such a spectacle would also be a perfect fit for Zverev. The German tennis star has made no secret of his affinity for FC Bayern for years and is regularly seen around the record-holding champions.

The Allianz Arena has long since ceased to be just a soccer stadium

Photo: Getty Images

Using the Allianz Arena for another sport wouldn’t be completely uncharted territory either. In recent years, the American NFL has made several appearances in Munich, transforming the Bayern stadium into a football arena for an evening.

Other Bundesliga clubs have also demonstrated the possibilities that large soccer stadiums offer for other sports. At Schalke, for example, the Veltins Arena was used for a handball match in 2024. More than 30,000 spectators set a record attendance for indoor and club handball.

A tennis match featuring Zverev could therefore also be an extraordinary event for FC Bayern—especially since the club wants to further expand its international marketing efforts.

Whether this will actually happen at some point remains to be seen. In any case, Zverev has publicly expressed his desire. Should FC Bayern take a liking to the idea, his prominent fan’s dream could even turn into a tennis spectacle with the potential to set a world record.