SSV ULM 1846
UPDATED FOR 2024/25 - AUGUST 2024
Founded: May 5, 1970
Club Members: 4,030
Nickname: Die Spatzen
Coach: Thomas Wörle
Captain: Johannes Reichert
3.Liga Champions: 1
Regionalliga Südwest: 1
German Amateur Champions: 1
Landespokal Württemberg Winner: 11
Website: www.ssvulm1846-fussball.de
In its current format, SSV Ulm 1846 has only existed for a short period of time. Indeed, it was only founded in 1970. However, football has been played in Ulm for over a century. The 1846 in the club’s title refers to the year that the Turnerbund Ulm was formed. This was long before the advent of football in Germany, but as often in the country, it was gymnastic associations that were the home of the nascent football clubs. So it proved to be in Ulm. It was only in 1926 that the football division of the Tunerbund struck out on its own.
A merger with other clubs in the area in 1939 temporarily unified the sport in the Württemberg city, very close to the border with Bavaria. The new club was known as TSG Ulm 1846 and played at the top level of football, the Gauliga, throughout the Second World War. Apart from a single season in the Oberliga Sudwest, then the top tier of German football, TSG found themselves playing in the next level down. Upon the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963, they briefly continued to compete at this level, but eventually dropped down to the third, or even fourth, tier. Further local mergers in 1968 and 1970 strengthened the club. Finally, a decade later, the club broke into the ranks of professional football, securing promotion to the Bundesliga 2. It was a struggle at that level, with the threat of relegation ever-present. The 1990s was spent back in the third tier before promotion again in 1998.
The following season was the best, and possibly most unexpected, in the club’s history as they ripped through the Bundesliga 2 and achieved promotion to the top flight at the first time of asking. However, it was very much a case of be careful what you wish for. The first decade of the 21 st century was not a happy one. Relegation from the Bundesliga in 2000 was followed by the same happening the following season. From dining at the same table as Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund, they were back playing in amateur football.
The worst was still to come. The club’s finances were in a complete mess by this stage, so much so that the DFB got involved and demoted the club to the fifth tier. A long slow ascent over the next few years saw them rise back to the Regionalliga Sudwest. However, more financial irregularities saw a second insolvency. It was at this point that SSV Ulm 1846, the current club, was formed. It wasn't the end of the financial woes as 2014 saw the club require emergency funding of €420,000 to complete the season. It also meant another relegation. However, promotion back to the Regionalliga was achieved in 2016 and enjoyed a number of strong seasons before securing a berth in the 3.Liga as Regionalliga Südwest champions in 2023. They then carried the momentum into last season and lifted the third-tier title to finally end a 23-year exile from Bundesliga.2.
GROUND DETAILS
Ground Name: Donaustadion
Year Opened: 1925
Renovations: 1952, 1988, 1999, 2024
Capacity: 19,500 (15,220 standing)
Record Attendance: 40,000 (1925)
Media Seats: 60
Wheelchair Spaces: 80
Undersoil Heating: Yes
Running Track: Yes
Floodlights: 1,200 lux
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Pitch Size: 105m x 68m
The Donaustadion was opened in 1925 with a gymnastics competition. Given its unique horseshoe shape around 40,000 were at that event, with thousands of spectators taking advantage of the opportunity to watch from the open end. It was damaged during the Second World War.
The main stand was built in 1952, but it took a further thirty years before the benches were replaced with individual seats. In 1999 the Gegentribune, with 3,000 covered seats, was built and became the first non-smoking grandstand in a professional football ground in Germany. Upon promotion to the Bundesliga, additional temporary stands were constructed which raised the capacity of the stadium to 23,500. Presently the capacity is 19,500, of which 4,280 are seated. With only modest upgrades carried out since then, the Donaustadion then remained largely unchanged for the next 20 years.
It wasn't until Die Spatzen (The Sparrows) finally ended their 23-year exile from Bundesliga 2 in 2024 that the stadium was given an extensive revamp in order to bring it up-to-spec with DFL regulations. A new pitch was laid which saw drainage and irrigation work carried out before undersoil heating was installed for the first time. Additional spotlights were then added to the existing floodlights which can now produce a rating of 1,200 lux. The overhaul also saw improvements to the media facilities and a new VIP area is being built with works expected to be completed by the start of the 2024-25 season.
The stadium retains an athletics track and has been used for the German Athletics Championships various times over the last twenty years. The German womens’ football team has played international football there and, in the build-up to the 2006 World Cup, Australia played the one and only full international match at the Donaustadion against the mighty Lichtenstein.
BUYING TICKETS
Ticket Office:
Website: www.ssvulm1846-fussball.de
Telephone: +49 (0) 731 9774670
Email: ticketing@ssvulm1846-fussball.de
Average Attendance:
2023-2024: 10,347 (3.Liga)
2022-2023: 3,900 (Regionalliga Südwest)
2021-2022: 2,068 (Regionalliga Südwest)
2020-2021: N/A *
2019-2020: 1,324 (Regionalliga Südwest) *
* Season affected by COVID pandemic
Expected Ticket Availability
Despite counting the likes of Ralf Rangnick, Thomas Tuchel and the Hoeneß brothers (Dieter and Uli) among their alumni, Ulm have historically been a club with a very small fanbase. Having said that, now that SSV are back in Bundesliga.2 there's no guarantee that demand won't outstrip supply when it comes to ticket availability. Most matches are therefore expected to sell out but tickets might still be available from the box office outside the Haupttribüne (Main Stand) from two hours before kick-off.
It's better to secure a ticket in advance though, and the easiest way to do this is to go through Ulm's online ticket shop. It's all in German but fortunately "Wenn Sie kein Deutsch sprechen können ", Google Chrome’s translation feature makes booking E-tickets (received as Print@Home & Mobile Tickets) very simple.
If you're in Ulm ahead of matchday, you can also pick up your ticket at the Ticket/Fanshop office (Donaustadion, Stadionstraße 5, 8907 Ulm; open 1-6pm, Tue & Thu; 9am-12pm, Wed).
Ticket prices to sit in the Haupttribüne are €30 for adults, €25 for seniors and concessions; and children (aged 3-14) can get in for €15. To sit in the Gegengerade, it's €20 for adults, €15 for seniors and concessions; and children (aged 3-14) pay €7. It's €17 for full-payers to watch the action from the terraces with seniors and concessions paying €12 and children (aged 3-14) costing their parents just €7. Tickets for children under 3 years of age (Schosskarte) cost €3 and are available at the box office.
There's a €2 surcharge for tickets bought from the box office (except 'Schosskarte').
Information about visiting the Donaustadion for fans with disabilities can be found at:
www.bundesliga-reisefuehrer.de
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Stadium Address:
Stadionstraße 5
89073 Ulm
BY CAR:
If you're coming by car, the simplest advice is to put the stadium address in your Sat-Nav and follow its guidance. Note that due to ongoing redevelopment work at the Donaustadion, Stadionstraße is currently closed to traffic.
Parking is limited at the ground though and the club suggest that drivers use the free car parks at 'P+R Schulzentrum Kuhberg' (Egginger Weg 40, 89077 Ulm) and 'P+R Sciencepark II' (Lise Meitner Straße, 89081 Ulm) before continuing onto the Donaustadion using Ulm's tram services (see below).
Parking is also available for €5 per vehicle at 'P3/Donauhalle' and 'P4/Volksfestplatz' at the Ulm Messe complex a 10-15 minute walk along Wielandstraße. Unless you've got a valid parking permit issued by the club though, don't be tempted to head for the P1 car park (Friedrichsaustraße 33, 89073 Ulm) at the ground. This is reserved for players, match officials and SSV Ulm staff on a matchday and it's strictly enforced with cars being towed away by the authorities from early morning.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
Tram 1 (Direction: Böfingen) leaves the Hauptbahnhof and crosses the city centre calling at 'Theater', 'Justizgebäude' and 'Willy Brandt Platz' before arriving at the 'Donaustadion' stop outside the stadium. The journey takes 9 minutes and with a valid match ticket, the buses, trains and trams of the Donau Iller Nahverkehrsverbund (DING) transport network are free to travel around on from 9am until three hours after the match.
WALKING DIRECTIONS:
It's quite straightforward to reach the Donaustadion on foot and it should take you about half-an-hour to get there from central Ulm. If you fancy the walk and the beer isn't having too much of an impact on you, it's just a case of following the tram tracks east through the city centre - keeping an eye out for Tram 1 (see above) for reassurance that you're on the right 'track'. From the main station entrance, turn left and head onto Bahnhofplatz which soon becomes Olgastraße. Follow the tram tracks along Olgastraße for about half-a-mile until you reach Münchner Straße. Cross the junction onto Schwambergerstraße/Willy Brand Platz and follow the road as it becomes Friedrichsaustraße. After quarter-of-a-mile, you'll come to the junction with Talfinger Straße. Take a left here and you'll see the stadium over to your right.
Alternatively, the Donaustadion is an easy walk along the banks of the Danube. With the station entrance behind you, cross the road and turn right along Friedrich Ebert Straße. Continue past the C&A store until you reach the junction with Neue Straße. Cross Neue Straße and head onto Promenade. After about quarter-of-a-mile, you'll find yourself on the north bank of the Danube. Follow the river for about a mile keeping the river on your right side, and you'll see the stadium in the distance.
BIKE DIRECTIONS:
Since a higher volume of traffic in the area of the stadium is to be expected at home games, the club and the city of Ulm recommend cyclists to avoid the area for their own safety.
FAN SHOP, MUSEUM & STADIUM TOURS
FAN SHOP:
The fan shop for fanartikels and tickets can be found behind the main stand at the Donaustadion.
(Stadionstraße 5, 89073 Ulm; 1-6pm, Tue & Thu; 9am-12pm, Wed).
FOOD & DRINK OPTIONS
With Ulm's attractive centre of spires (Ulm Cathedral is the tallest church tower in the world!) and cobbles only a corner kick away, many fans head to the bars and restaurants there before making their way to the match.
Of course, you can still grab a bite and wet your beak at the stadium itself with all the usual options (Bratwurst, Currywurst, Leberkäsbrätchen, Pizza etc) on offer. Everything can be settled up with cash or the usual contactless payment methods (credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay etc) - so there's no need to worry about stadium cards !
OTHER CLUBS IN THE AREA
BUNDESLIGA: 1.FC Heidenheim 1846, FC Augsburg, SC Freiburg, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, VfB Stuttgart
BUNDESLIGA 2: Karlsruher SC
3.LIGA: SV Sandhausen, VfB Stuttgart II
