Corruption, Biathlon, and Fan Cemeteries: EURO 2024 Stadiums Are Not Just About Football

The EURO 2024 will take place in ten arenas. Detailing each one (capacity, matches they will host, etc.) would be lengthy and not particularly interesting. So, here's one remarkable fact about each stadium!

Allianz Arena in Munich: The first stadium in the world with a facade that changes color (thanks to digital panels). But there's another amusing fact. During the competition to build the arena, a pair of officials organized a corruption scheme, for which they were arrested (one was even sentenced to 4.5 years).

Volksparkstadion, home of Hamburg — This arena is associated with a much more sentimental fact: it has a cemetery for 500 club fans.

Cologne Stadium boasts another distinction – for 14 years, it has annually hosted the final of the Women's German Football Cup.

Women are also connected to a remarkable fact about Signal Iduna Park — the first match in the arena's history was played by women's teams (in 1974).

Veltins Arena, Schalke's stadium, hosts a "Christmas Race" every December, attracting the world's best biathletes.

Düsseldorf Arena also hosts top events. In its 20-year history, the stadium has hosted Eurovision 2011, a boxing match between Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury, and World Handball Championship matches, drawing 53,586 spectators (a world attendance record).

Another world record was set at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig – for attending spiritual ensemble services.

Stuttgart Arena was blessed this March as it became the first stadium in Germany to host 1,000 Bundesliga games.

Frankfurt Arena also made history – in 2006, it hosted the Turkish Super Cup outside of Turkey for the first time.

A cool fact about the Olympiastadion in Berlin is also related to Turkey. The last time the German national team won there was in 2010 — they defeated Turkey 3-0.

Published by Patrick Jane
12.06.2024