Arena AufSchalke

The Arena AufSchalke or the Veltins Arena is a multi-purpose site located in the Erle borough, north of Gelsenkirchen, Germany. It was built as a replacement for the outdated Parkstadion in North Rhine-Westphalia. The home team, Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke, needed a new thoroughly modern multifunctional arena as an extension of their historic 1997 victory in the UEFA Cup and the club’s 100th anniversary in 2004. Excluding home matches, it earned the name “FIFA World Cup Stadium” in 2006 after hosting 5 matches for the World Cup.

Since it’s a relatively new arena, the site is quite impressive in the modernization department. It has a movable roof that can be closed within 30 minutes based on the event and weather conditions and features a playing field with innovatively-designed sliding grass pitch. Following the construction, It received the international IOC / IAKS AWARD Special Distinction award for its architecture in 2005.

Home Team: Schalke 04
Capacity: 62,271
Field Size: ‎114.8 x 74.4 yards