Nationalarenan, known as Strawberry Arena since 2024 for sponsorship reasons, is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Stockholm, Sweden. Located next to the lake Råstasjön in Solna, just north of the City Centre, it is the largest stadium in Scandinavia. Since its opening, the venue has served as Sweden's national stadium for men's football, hence the name Nationalarenan.
The main tenants of the stadium are Sweden's men's national football team and Allsvenskan football club AIK; both relocated from their previous home at the Råsunda Stadium. The venue has a total capacity of 65,000 at concerts and 50,000 seated at football matches, but the stadium can be scaled down to provide for smaller events with approximately 20,000 guests. The arena is designed by Danish C.F. Møller Architects.
65,000 at concerts would require a small stage. The record attendance is just over 60,000. The record attendance for football is slightly over 50,000 for a club league match; for these matches, standing spectators are allowed.Priser & kategorier herrar
History Initially there were plans to build a new national stadium close to the indoor venue Ericsson Globe in Johanneshov in southern Stockholm, but on 1 April 2006 the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) made the decision to build the new stadium in Solna. It was calculated to cost around 1.9 billion kronor (202 million euro) to complete. The estimated cost before construction had begun was 2.3 billion kronor. It replaced Råsunda Stadium, Sweden's former national arena for football. Råsunda was torn down and replaced by some 700 flats and office buildings.
Swedbank acquired the naming rights to the stadium in a 153 million kronor (about 20.5 million euro) deal that would last until 2023. While the arena was originally to be known as Swedbank Arena, Swedbank announced in 2012 that it would donate its naming rights to , a nonprofit organization against school bullying of which Swedbank is a sponsor. Consequently, the stadium was renamed Friends Arena.
On January 13, 2024, a naming rights sponsorship agreement was reached with the Norwegian hotel company Strawberry. The new name, "Strawberry Arena", took effect on July 12, 2024.
Structure and facilities The stadium has a retractable roof, enabling events to take place during the winter season and to host indoor entertainment shows. The facade of the arena can be lit up in 17 million different color schemes. For example, the stadium is lit up in blue and yellow when Sweden's national team is playing matches. Nationalarenan is a UEFA Category 4 stadium, and the natural turf pitch measures 105 x 68 metres. In the middle of the stadium roof, a 240 square metres big media cube is placed where the attendance can follow what is happening. In addition, 647 LED-screens are installed throughout the facility to enhance the guest experience.
Events
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden declared the arena inaugurated at the opening ceremony, which took place in the venue on 27 October 2012. The show, directed by famous Swedish director Colin Nutley, was entitled Svenska ögonblick (Swedish Moments).Popular Swedish artists as Agnes Carlsson, The Hives, Icona Pop, two-times Eurovision Song Contest winner Loreen, First Aid Kit and Roxette performed in front of a crowd of 46,000 people. Furthermore, 1,700,000 TV viewers watched the inauguration show live at SVT1.
Swedish House Mafia made three concerts during their One Last Tour in the arena. A total of approximately 115,000 people visited Nationalarenan during the three sold-out concerts in November 2012.
On 14 November 2012, the stadium hosted its first football game. Zlatan Ibrahimović scored the first goal at Sweden's new national stadium in the 4–2 victory against England. The game was seen by 49,967 people, which until 2017 was the attendance record for a sport event.
A new record for Swedish bandy was set at the 2013 Swedish Bandy Championship Final, when Hammarby IF defeated Sandvikens AIK ahead of an audience of 38,474 persons under the closed roof.Picture from the 2013 bandy final, with the all time high attendance of 38,474
AIK played their first competitive football match on 7 April 20
On 28 July 2013, the final of the UEFA Women's Euro were played. 41,301 people watched Germany overcome Norway with a score of 1–0. The game set a new attendance record for a Women's Euro fixture. Solna became also the first city in Europe which has hosted all four big football championships (FIFA World Cup, FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA European Championship and UEFA Women's Championship). The arena also hosted Motorcycle speedway as part of the Speedway Grand Prix World Championship series and held the Speedway Grand Prix of Scandinavia from 2013 to 2017. The temporary track at the arena was in length.
The arena has also hosted the final of Melodifestivalen every year since 2013, with the exception of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the arena also hosted the fourth heat and the semi-final of that year's competition. The stadium was chosen as the venue for the 2017 UEFA Europa League Final.
Concerts
Concerts at Friends ArenaDateArtistEventAttendanceRevenue22 November 2012Swedish House MafiaOne Last Tour––23 November 2012 24 November 20123 May 2013Bruce Springsteen and the E Street BandWrecking Ball World Tour169,325 / 169,325The score data is combined from the three shows held at Friends Arena on 3rd, 4th and May 11th$17,932,099The score data is combined from the three shows held at Friends Arena on 3rd, 4th and May 11th4 May 20138 May 2013One DirectionTake Me Home Tour29,723 / 29,723$1,783,38011 May 2013Bruce Springsteen and the E Street BandWrecking Ball World Tour — —1 June 2013KissMonster World Tour——13 July 2013Iron MaidenMaiden England World Tour55,531 / 55,531$5,001,41022 November 2013Black SabbathBlack Sabbath Reunion Tour——13 December 2013Elton JohnThe Diving Board Tour——13 June 2014One DirectionWhere We Are Tour88,978 / 88,978$7,358,04014 June 201428 June 2014Pearl JamLightning Bolt Tour——19 July 2015AC/DCRock or Bust World Tour——19 March 2016Simple MindsBig Music Tour + Greatest Hits 2016 — —3 July 2016ColdplayA Head Full of Dreams Tour53,575 / 53,575$3,970,1409 July 2016Black SabbathThe End Tour——26 July 2016BeyoncéThe Formation World Tour48,519 / 48,519$3,937,4985 May 2017Depeche ModeGlobal Spirit Tour36,400 / 36,400$2,734,1648 May 2017Ariana GrandeDangerous Woman Tour14,106 / 14,106$995,46129 June 2017Guns N' RosesNot in This Lifetime... Tour53,654 / 53,654$4,460,55512 October 2017The Rolling StonesNo Filter Tour53,770 / 53,770$7,880,69721 November 2017Queen + Adam LambertQueen + Adam Lambert Tour 2017–2018——25 June 2018Beyoncé Jay-ZOn the Run II Tour46,647 / 46,647$4,610,5542 July 2018EminemRevival Tour——14 July 2018Ed Sheeran÷ Tour54,234 / 54,234$4,818,97231 July 2018Justin TimberlakeThe Man of the Woods Tour23,303 / 23,303$1,818,01518 August 2018Roger WatersUs + Them Tour19,043 / 19,238$1,782,75812 June 2019Phil CollinsNot Dead Yet Tour——17 October 2019CherHere We Go Again Tour27,025 / 27,025$2,274,8985 December 2019Avicii Tribute ConcertTim Bergling Foundation - Concert for Mental Health Awareness58,163 / 58,163—21 July 2022Lady GagaThe Chromatica Ball34,934 / 34,934$3,540,73231 July 2022The Rolling StonesSixty50,889 / 50,889$6,916,42410 May 2023BeyoncéRenaissance World Tour90,169 / 90,169$9,802,15511 May 202323 May 2023Depeche ModeMemento Mori World Tour43,876 / 46,816$3,656,147 17 May 2024Taylor SwiftThe Eras Tour178,679 / 178,679 18 May 2024 19 May 2024 15 July 2024Bruce Springsteen & E Street BandSpringsteen and E Street Band 2023–2025 Tour108,202 / 108,202 18 July 2024 25 July 2024 Pink Pink Summer Carnival 4 July 2025 Guns N' Roses Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things Tour22 August 2025Ed Sheeran+–=÷× Tour23 August 2025 12 June 2026 Foo Fighters Take Cover Tour10 July 2026Bad BunnyDebí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour11 July 20268 August 2026The WeekndAfter Hours til Dawn Tour9 August 202610 August 2026
Points of interest
The stadium is located a 700-metre (800-yard) walk from the Solna commuter train station, where the Tvärbanan tramway and local buses are also available (a slightly longer walk away). Slightly further away (1.4 km, 0.9 mi) the Näckrosen metro station is found. The 18th meridian east runs through Nationalarenan. By 2028 there will be another metro station, Arenastaden metro station 800m away. There are two boards informing that the eighteenth meridian has passed through this point, at the entrance B and F.
The arena, located about six km (3.7 miles) from Stockholm Central Station, has parking for 300 charter buses and 4,000 cars. Along with the stadium, there will also be built a number of hotels with a total of approximately 400 rooms, restaurants for 8,000 guests, office areas for 10,000 employees, conference/exhibition centres and 2,000 flats. Moreover, a shopping mall, Mall of Scandinavia, with 240 shops and a multi screen cinema, opened near the stadium in 2015. The mall is the biggest shopping centre in Sweden.
The total project was calculated to cost more than 4 billion SEK.Arenastaden.se
Football average attendances
Season Sweden national team AIK Games Season Average Highest Gate Lowest Gate Games Season Average Highest Gate Lowest Gate 2012 1 49,967 49,967vs England 49,967vs England 2013 7 41,973 49,766vs Portugal 13,438vs Norway 15 18,900 43,466vs Syrianska FC 9,388vs Östers IF 2014 4 27,926 49,023vs Russia 15,421vs Estonia 15 16,446 30,650vs IFK Göteborg 11,408vs Falkenbergs FF 2015 5 34,925 49,053 vs Denmark 25,351 vs Montenegro 15 20,983 43,713vs IFK Göteborg 10,701vs Falkenbergs FF 2016 4 28,581 37,942 vs Wales 18,475 vs Czech Republic15 16,431 30,843vs Hammarby IF 8,507vs BK Häcken 2017 4 44,810 50,022 vs Luxembourg 31,243 vs Belarus15 17,807 33,157vs Djurgårdens IF 10,342vs Halmstads BK 2018 5 28,325 48,134 vs Chile 9,876 vs Slovakia 15 23,671 50,128vs GIF Sundsvall 2019 5 32,863 48,134 vs Spain 19,737 vs Slovakia 15 18,970 45,367vs Djurgårdens IF 2020 3 0 15 0 2021 8 15,238 47,314 vs Greece 500 vs Armenia 15 12,364 42,539vs Djurgårdens IF 2022 4 34,492 48,628 vs Czech Republic 22,895 vs Slovenia 15 25,275 45,117vs Hammarby IF 2023 6 26,337 49,296 vs Belgium 10,097 vs Moldova 15 25,739 41,327vs Djurgårdens IF 2024 5 25,250 46,956 vs Serbia 10,127 vs Azerbaijan 15 28,589 47,129vs Hammarby IF 2025 4 26,293 50,151 vs Switzerland 14,147 vs Northern Ireland
See also List of indoor arenas List of indoor arenas in Nordic countries List of football stadiums in Sweden Lists of stadiums Climate Pledge Arena, an indoor arena in Seattle, Washington, US that received its name via a similar donation of naming rights Kentucky Proud Park, a baseball park in Lexington, Kentucky, US that received its name via a similar donation of naming rights
References
External links
Strawberry Arena Swedish Football Association Stadium Guide Article