SAMSTAG 15:30

With it's riverside setting in a quiet residential area, the Dreisamstadion has been SC Freiburg's home since 1954 and the patchwork nature of its development over the years and dramatic forest backdrop gives the ground some real character.

Long before 'stadium naming rights' became part and parcel of football, the ground was known for many years as the Dreisamstadion after the river that runs behind it, and it wasn't until 1970 that it saw its first expansion with the construction of the Sudtribune (South Stand). Following the club's promotion to Bundesliga.2, the Haupttribune (Main Stand) was built in 1980 and the addition of its 1800 seats  brought the overall stadium capacity up to 15,000. Further works saw renovation and expansion of the Nord and Sud Tribunes (North and South Stands) as the stadium played catch-up with the club's continued on-field success.

The result was a 24,000 capacity pure football venue with four distinct stands, which have a slightly temporary look about them, set tight around the pitch. The Nord Tribune (North Stand) is the smallest of the four and is where Freiburg's most vocal following gather on matchdays. The opposite Sudtribune (South Stand) which backs onto Schwarzwaldstraße is the only two-tier stand in the ground and has terracing on the lower tier with seats above. It's also the only non-cantilevered stand with pillars supporting the roof and is partially reserved for away fans. Perhaps as an indication of the Dreisamstadion's struggle to keep pace with the demands of Bundesliga football in the 21st Century, the Haupttribune (Main Stand) is the only part of the ground to have any corporate facilities and a VIP block, built in 2004, dominates the north-west corner of the stadium. 

Although it may lack many of the brave new world stadia facilities found elsewhere, the Dreisamstadion was way ahead of the game 25 years ago when Freiburg's position as Germany's sunniest city was used to make it the country's first solar powered stadium. Today, 2,200 m² of photovoltaic solar panels installed on the roof produces the majority of the stadium's energy requirements including the undersoil heating system. 

As Freiburg's fans have got used to their club taking on the likes of Bayern, Dortmund and Mönchengladbach; the stadium has long been considered too small to cope with the demand. Indeed, its pitch (which has a steep declivity and slopes a full metre from south to north) is five metres too short to meet UEFA guidelines and it means that special authorisation must be sought to play European matches here. With its setting amongst tight residential streets and the narrow Dreisam River running close by, it meant that further expansion wasn't a viable option and in 2015, following consultation and a referendum, it was announced that Freiburg would be on the move to a new home located right next to the municipal airport in the Wolfswinkel district of the city.

The SC Freiburg Stadium will be a modern two-tier affair with a capacity of 34,700 including a 9,000 capacity 'safe standing' home terrace. Building began in 2018 and it was due to be open in time for the start of the 2020-21 season. However, delays in construction brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic means that the project is now months behind schedule and although December 2020 has been suggested as a potential new completion date, there are fears behind the scenes that the stadium won't be ready until the back-end of 2021. It's not the first setback to have affected the new arena. In October 2019, the club were dealt a leftfield blow when the local authorities put a block on any matches being played at night or between 1-3pm on Sunday afternoons due to noise concerns. This decision potentially affects many of Freiburg's home matches and although the club are confident that a solution can be found, it currently remains an issue that is yet to be resolved.
 

The €76.5 million Europa Park Stadion finally opened in 2021 with a capacity of 34,700 including a 8,000 capacity 'safe standing' home terrace and although it's a largely prefabricated structure, it avoids being just another of the 'identikit' stadiums you see everywhere else. Diagonal steel roof supports give the exterior a distinctive look and 170 LED floodlights built into the canopy are powered by photovoltaic panels

From the outside, it's a real eye-catcher with 

 rectangular building is a real eye-catcher with its diagonal steel roof supports that carry roof weight to the outside. About 170 LED floodlights are built into the canopy and the stadium is only 25 metres tall at its highest point, which was imposed by the proximity of the airport.

Inside, the ground impresses with its compactness, steep stands and short distance to the playing field. The heart of the arena is the single-tier south stand, one of a kind because the rest of the stadium consists of two-tier structures.

The aforementioned stand is the territory for the club's most ardent fans, who have 9,000 standing places at their disposal. At the northeastern end, there is room for 3,500 travelling fans. The VIP zone, which can accommodate up to 2,000 people, is located on the west stand.

Additionally, disabled fans have 144 places, a car park for 2,100 vehicles has been created for drivers, and cyclists have 3,700 spots at their disposal. By 2022, the largest solar power plant in the world will be built on the rooftop, which is to cover most of the energy demand on match day.

One of the main things that stands out about the new stadium is the view from outside, which really makes this structure stand out. A lot of thought went into the architectural appearance of the new stadium when the club first considered building a new home and the finished product did not disappoint.

It's just as impressive from the inside. Its compactness keeps the atmosphere electric, if the fans provide it, while the steep stands close to the pitch make it an intimidating venue for away teams.

The south stand is where the SC Freiburg ultras can be found and it is the only single-tier stand in the new stadium. It can hold up to 8,000 people. Without an away presence, they are sure to be heard. West Ham fans will be wishing from afar that their team can keep them quiet with a big performance on the pitch.

Another little perk of the Europa-Park Stadion is that it uses one of the world’s largest solar roofs in a football stadium, having installed a 2.4 megawatt system in the ground.

 

Given that there is no certainly at the moment that fans will actually be allowed into stadiums when the new season kicks-off on the 18th September 2020, the delay may not be a major problem - but as part of the stadium licensing process with the DFB, Freiburg have listed both the old Dreisamstadion and the new SC Freiburg Stadium on their application.

Ironically, the delay may also give Freiburg's fans the chance to bid farewell to their old home - something that has been denied to them as the final weeks of the 2019-20 football season in Germany were played out behind closed doors. Of course, it also gives the rest of us an opportunity to experience one of the Bundesliga's few remaining old-school grounds one last time - if you can get a ticket, that is !