The Frankfurt Waldstadion turns 100! | OneFootball

A hundred years in the same place. The stadium in the City Forest is more than just a sporting venue – it brings people together, facilitates encounters and triggers emotions.

The Waldstadion – currently known as Deutsche Bank Park – celebrates its 100th birthday on Wednesday. The pitch’s centre spot has not budged since the stadium was first opened as a municipal arena back on 21 May 1925, its single stand reminiscent of an ancient Greek theatre.

The stadium in the City Forest is a place of passion where football miracles occur. Where spectators are subjected to emotional rollercoaster rides. Where memorable wins are celebrated, painful defeats are endured and much more besides…

Nine milestones from 100 years at the Waldstadion

1925: The stadium opens

Just a few days after the stadium opens its doors for the first time, FSV Frankfurt are beaten 1-0 by 1. FC Nürnberg in the German championship final. The first International Workers’ Summer Olympiads are also staged there, featuring 3,000 athletes from 11 countries. The stadium is part of a 42-hectare sports park which also includes a cycling track, a swimming arena, a riding facility and a gymnastics field.

1955: The first renovation The stadium’s capacity is expanded to 87,200, including 16,000 seats and 71,200 standing spaces. When it reopens in 1955, the Waldstadion is the second-biggest arena in Germany.

1959: The attendance record

Eintracht Frankfurt’s game against FK Pirmasens in the German championship final tournament draws a crowd of 81,000 – a record that is unlikely to be broken.

1966: The big fight The Waldstadion plays host to the most famous boxer of all time as Muhammad Ali triumphs over Kaiserslautern native and reigning European heavyweight champion Karl Mildenberger.

1974: The first World Cup game

Frankfurt’s stadium undergoes another thorough renovation in time to host the opening game of the 1974 World Cup in Germany. The arena has now been transformed into a larger, 60,000-capacity sports complex. Hosts Germany, who would go on to win the tournament, play one game in Frankfurt that summer – the infamous ‘water fight’ against Poland.

1980: The biggest win Friedel Rausch’s team win the UEFA Cup in 1980. Injured captain Jürgen Grabowski and stand-in skipper Bernd Hölzenbein share the trophy-lifting duties.

2005: The renovation for 2006

The arena is largely demolished and rebuilt for the 2006 World Cup. A striking feature of the new 51,500-capacity venue is the enormous tent roof, which can be closed in 20 minutes and was used for the first time at the 2005 Confederations Cup.

2007: The museum opens

The Eintracht Museum opens its doors. The exhibition on the history of Eintracht has been on display for 18 years, while many other cultural events have also taken place here.

2020: Deutsche Bank Park

After Eintracht Frankfurt becomes the main tenant of Deutsche Bank Park on 1 July 2020, the stadium is gradually expanded to 58,000. The north-west end is currently home to the second-largest standing area in the Bundesliga. Up to 38,000 black seats, white steps, and the ‘Eintracht vom Main’ sign in the Jürgen Grabowski Stand bring the club’s colours to life, while a new state-of-the-art video cube brings technical innovation to the arena.