RheinEnergieStadion, formerly Müngersdorfer Stadion () or Müngersdorfer Stadium, is a German football stadium in Cologne. It was built on the site of the two previous Müngersdorfer stadiums. It is the home of the local 1. Bundesliga team, 1. FC Köln. The stadium was one of eight stadiums to host UEFA Euro 1988. It was one of five stadiums hosting both the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2006 FIFA World Cup, hosted the 2020 UEFA Europa League final behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, and was one of ten host stadia for the UEFA Euro 2024. Local energy company RheinEnergie AG currently holds the naming rights to the stadium; hence it was known as the Stadion Köln for the final.
History Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (1919), the fortifications of Cologne were removed, thus allowing for the building of a new structure in the surrounding area. The new construction enabled the city to create 15,000 jobs. The new stadium was called the Müngersdorfer Stadion. This allowed Cologne not only to help stabilize the country, but also to gain prestige and economic benefits for the city. The cost was tallied at 47.4 million Deutsche Mark.
Following the completion of the stadium, the city began to gain prominence in the domestic sports world. Many major football matches were held at the stadium in front of huge crowds. The first international match was held on 20 November 1927, when the Germany national team drew 2–2 with the Netherlands. Since then, the German team has played 19 times at the stadium, and only one of those matches resulted in a loss. Another notable match was the first post-war game, which saw 1. FC Nürnberg beat 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2–1, in front of a crowd of 75,000.
One of the specialties of the Müngersdorfer Stadion was the track meets for non-professional sportsmen. In 1929, there were over 38,000 participants. However, in 1933, Jews were no longer allowed to take part. After the war, the stadium has only hosted professional level sports.
Recent matches of importance In 2005, the stadium was a venue for three first-round games of the FIFA Confederations Cup, including the opening match between Argentina and Tunisia. The game was won by Argentina 2–1.
The Müngersdorfer has been host to many important UEFA Cup matches. Bayer Leverkusen played against Barcelona, and Galatasaray against Monaco in the 1988–89 European Cup. Borussia Mönchengladbach played both Arsenal and Monaco in the 1996–97 UEFA Cup. The stadium also functioned as the home ground to second-tier Alemannia Aachen in their 2004–05 UEFA Cup campaign.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the 2020 UEFA Europa League Final was moved from the Stadion Energa Gdańsk in Gdańsk, Poland to the RheinEnergieStadion, to be played behind closed doors. Sevilla won the match, defeating Inter Milan 3–2.
Awards In July 2004, the RheinEnergieStadion was awarded a bronze medal for distinguished sporting and leisure facilities by the International Olympic Committee.
Concerts
list of concerts at RheinEnergieStadion Date Performer Event AttendanceRef(s)As Müngersdorfer Stadion4 and 5 July 1982The Rolling StonesEuropean Tour 1982—17 June 1983Supertramp——16 June 1984Bob Dylan, SantanaBob Dylan/Santana European Tour 1984—19 July 1986QueenThe Magic Tour—17 June 1987U2The Joshua Tree Tour3 July 1988Michael JacksonBad—18 June 1989Pink FloydA Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour—26 May 1990Tina TurnerForeign Affair: The Farewell Tour—30 and 31 May 1990The Rolling StonesUrban Jungle Tour—30 May 1992Guns N' RosesUse Your Illusion Tour—11 July 1992Michael JacksonDangerous World Tour— 17 July 1992 Dire Straits On Every Street Tour— 18 July 199227 July 1992GenesisWe Can't Dance Tour2 August 1994Pink FloydThe Division Bell Tour—20 June 1995The Rolling StonesVoodoo Lounge Tour—27 July 1996Tina TurnerWildest Dreams Tour—3 June 1997Michael JacksonHIStory World Tour60,0005 June 1999Wolfgang PetryEinfach geil... Open Air 1999—20 June 1999The Rolling StonesNo Security Tour—28 July 2000Tina TurnerTwenty Four Seven Tour—20 June 2001Bon JoviOne Wild Night Tour—8 July 2001AC/DCStiff Upper Lip World Tour—11 August 2001Robbie WilliamsWeddings, Barmitzvahs & Stadiums Tour—As RheinEnergieStadion6 July 2005Queen + Paul RodgersQueen + Paul Rodgers Tour23 July 2006The Rolling StonesA Bigger Bang Tour19 May 2009AC/DCBlack Ice World Tour45,724 / 45,72431 December 2009Die Fantastischen Vier29 May 2010P!nkThe Funhouse Summer Carnival Tour13 June 2011Herbert Grönemeyer16 July 2011Nina HagenBrings Jubilee Concert27 May 2012Bruce Springsteen and the E Street BandWrecking Ball World Tour40,417 / 40,4174 September 2012ColdplayMylo Xyloto Tour43,952 / 43,95222 June 2013Bon JoviBecause We Can Tour42,476 / 42,47615 June 2015Helene FischerFarbenspiel Live74,000 / 74,00016 June 201527 May 2016Queen + Adam LambertQueen + Adam Lambert 2016 Summer Festival Tour28 July 2016RihannaAnti World Tour10 September 2016UnheiligUnheilig Tour 2015 / 20165 June 2017Depeche ModeGlobal Spirit Tour42,032 / 42,0323 July 2018Beyoncé and Jay-ZOn the Run II Tour39,501 / 39,50113 June 2019MetallicaWorldWired Tour41,460 / 42,02121 June 2019Phil CollinsNot Dead Yet Tour41,460 / 42,02122 June 201929 June 2019MuseSimulation Theory World Tour40,400 / 42,5265 July 2019P!nkBeautiful Trauma World Tour77,313 / 77,3136 July 201911 October 2021Moop MamaSemester Kick Off 20214 June 2022Die ÄrzteBuffalo Bill in Rom Tour10 June 2022Die Toten Hosen40 Jahre - Alles aus Liebe17 June 2022Kasalla2 July 2022Iron MaidenLegacy of the Beast World Tour5 July 2022Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers 2022–2024 Global Stadium Tour39,394 / 39,3949 June 2023MuseWill of the People World Tour15 June 2023BeyoncéRenaissance World Tour41,166 / 41,1668 July 2023P!nkSummer Carnival9 July 20239 September 2023AnnenMayKantereitLive 202320 July 2024Travis ScottCircus Maximus Tour42,068 / 42,0682 July 2025Kendrick Lamar & SZAGrand National Tour36,896 19 June 2027ScooterRave from Outer Space Stadium TourUpcoming
Renovation
There have been two renovations, from 1972 to 1975 and from 2002 to 2004.
In 1974, the World Cup was held in West Germany, and Cologne had wanted to be a host city. The city's bid was approved and it soon began work on a new stadium that was to replace the now outdated Müngersdorfer Stadion. However, the city was unable to raise the money needed for a stadium of the desired size. The original plan was for an 80,000-seat arena, which was planned to have cost 23.5 million Deutsche Mark. But the total kept growing. In the end, if the stadium had been completed, the cost would have amounted to 93.5 million. At the time, the city was able to provide only an extra 6 million Deutsche Mark.
Following the World Cup, Cologne still wanted the stadium completed. Hence, on 12 November 1975, a 61,000-seat arena was inaugurated with a match between 1. FC Köln and SC Fortuna Köln, 1. FC Köln winning 1–0. In this configuration the stadium hosted the UEFA Euro 1988.
With the news of the prospect of bringing the World Cup back to Germany, the city reacted and started renovation of the stadium, which was completed in 2003. Unlike previous configurations, there are no track-and-field facilities, allowing spectators to be much closer to the pitch than they might have been in a traditional continental multi-purpose stadium.
Facilities The capacity is about 50,000 people during club matches and 45,965 for international games, when terracing is not allowed. The entire field is lit with a floodlight system. In the north grandstand there is a museum dedicated to 1. FC Köln.
External dimensions Length220 m Width180 m Height to Roof33.25 m Roof Area15,400 m2
2006 FIFA World Cup The stadium was one of the venues for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, due to sponsorship contracts, the arena was called "FIFA World Cup Stadium Cologne" during the World Cup.
The following games were played at the stadium during the World Cup of 2006:
DateTime (CET)Team #Res.Team #2RoundAttendance11 June 200621:000–1Group D45,00017 June 200617:000–2Group E45,00020 June 200618:002–2Group B45,00023 June 200621:000–2Group G45,00026 June 200621:000–0 (0–3p)Round of 1645,000
UEFA Euro 2024 The stadium was one of the venues for the UEFA Euro 2024. However, due to sponsorship contracts, the arena was called "Cologne Stadium" during the tournament.
The following games were played at the stadium during the tournament: DateTime (CEST)Team #1ResultTeam #2RoundSpectators15 June 202441,67619 June 202442,71122 June 202442,53525 June 202441,53630 June 202442,233
Transportation The stadium is part of Sportpark Müngersdorf, adjacent to Aachener Straße. It is accessible by car via the Cologne Beltway, only some 1200 m off the Bundesautobahn 1. The Cologne Stadtbahn provides service at through the line 1.
See also List of football stadiums in Germany Lists of stadiums
References
External links
A 3-D model of the stadium baukunst-nrw about the stadium's architecture with additional photos