Weserstadion (German pronunciation: [ˈveːzɐˌʃtaːdi̯ɔn] ) is a football stadium in Bremen, Germany. The Weserstadion is scenically situated on the north bank of the Weser River and is surrounded by lush green parks (the name 'Werder' is a regional German word for "river peninsula"). The city center is only about a kilometre away. It is the home stadium of German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen.

Weserstadion
Weserstadion
Aerial view of the Weserstadion in 2012
Map
Former namesWohninvest Weserstadion (2019–2024)
LocationFranz-Böhmert-Straße 1, Bremen, Germany
OwnerBremer Weser-Stadion GmbH
OperatorBremer Weser-Stadion GmbH
Executive suites79[5]
Capacity42,100 (league matches),[2][3]
37,441 (international matches)[3][4]
Field size105 × 68 m
Surfacegrass
Construction
Opened1947[1]
Renovated1963–1965, 1989, 2005, 2008–2012[1]
Construction cost€76.5 million (2008–2011)
Tenants
Werder Bremen (1947–present)
Germany national football team (selected matches)

Artists that have performed at the stadium include Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Depeche Mode, Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Guns N' Roses and Van Halen, among others.

The stadium originally included an athletics track, but that was partially removed in 2002 when the pitch was sunk by 2.1 metres (6 ft 11 in) and the stands at the straights were lengthened to the new pitch. With this the capacity rose with about 8,000 places.[6] In 2004 four office towers were built behind the north stand. These towers offer a restaurant and offices for the club and local companies.

After various previous renovations, the stadium was expanded, completely rebuilt, and modernized from 2008 to 2011. The façade was coated with photovoltaic panels and a new roof was built on top of the old roof supporting structure (the old roof itself was torn down). Both ends (east and west) were torn down and rebuilt parallel to the endline of the pitch, removing what was left of the old athletics track. Since the rebuilding's completion at the start of the 2011/12 season, it has had a capacity of just over 42,000 seats for domestic matches and over 37,000 seats for international matches. The owner of the stadium is Bremer Weser-Stadion GmbH, which is owned half each by SV Werder Bremen and the city of Bremen.

International football matches

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Date Home Away Result Competition Attendance
23 May 1939   Germany   Ireland 1–1 (1–0) Friendly 35,000
27 February 1980   West Germany   Malta 8–0 (3–0) UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying 38,000
4 June 1988   West Germany   Yugoslavia 1–1 (0–1) Friendly 13,000
2 June 1992   Germany   Northern Ireland 1–1 (1–1) Friendly 30,000
30 April 1997   Germany   Ukraine 2–0 (0–0) 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification 33,242
28 April 1999   Germany   Scotland 0–1 (0–0) Friendly 27,000
29 May 2001   Germany   Slovakia 2–0 (0–0) Friendly 18,000
30 April 2003   Germany   Serbia and Montenegro 1–0 (0–0) Friendly 26,000
7 September 2005   Germany   South Africa 4–2 (1–1) Friendly 28,100
29 February 2012   Germany   France 1–2 (0–1) Friendly 37,800
12 June 2023   Germany   Ukraine 3–3 (1–2) Friendly 35,975

A UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Gibraltar was scheduled to be played at the stadium on 14 November 2014, but it was later moved to Frankenstadion in Nuremberg after a clash between German Football Association and the State of Bremen over the cost of police.[7]

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Weserstadion panorama

References

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  1. ^ a b "Das Weser-Stadion". werder.de (in German). Bremen: SV Werder Bremen GmbH & Co KG aA. n.d. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Weser-Stadion". werder.de (in German). SV Werder Bremen GmbH & Co KGaA. n.d. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Die Kapazität der 18 Bundesliga-Stadien". RP Online (in German). Düsseldorf: RP Digital GmbH. n.d. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Stadionplan". weserstadion.de (in German). Bremer Weser-Stadion GmbH. n.d. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  5. ^ "Technik und Ausstattung". weserstadion.de (in German). Bremen: Bremer Weser-Stadion GmbH. n.d. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Historie - Weser-Stadion - Bremer Weser-Stadion GmbH". Weserstadion.de. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Germany to play Gibraltar in Nuremberg and not Bremen in November | Football News". Sky Sports. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
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53°3′59″N 8°50′15″E / 53.06639°N 8.83750°E / 53.06639; 8.83750