Wolfsburg Stadium: Everything You Need To Know
The Wolfsburg Stadium is called the Volkswagen Arena. VfL Wolfsburg and Volkswagen have been partnered throughout the club’s history – the city of Wolfsburg was founded to house autoworkers who were involved in the construction of the Beetle.
Sitting 69th in UEFA’s club rankings as of January 2022, Wolfsburg have regularly appeared in European football throughout the 21st century.
The Wolfsburg ground has witnessed some high-profile fixtures and welcomed some of the continent’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid, Inter and Manchester United.
Wolfsburg won its only Bundesliga title back in 2008-09. They were also runners-up in 2014-15, the same year they won their only DFB-Pokal.
While they cannot compete financially with the might of Bayern Munich or other European superpowers, Wolfsburg has been a club of development for some star talents in recent years, including Edin Dzeko and Kevin De Bruyne.
Wolfsburg Stadium Capacity
The Wolfsburg stadium has a capacity of 30,000. This includes room for 8,000 standing fans. While the Wolfsburg fans don’t have any trouble generating noise, this is obviously not a particularly big stadium for a club of their on-field pedigree.
In fact, there are 25 stadia in Germany that are bigger than the Wolfsburg ground. Five of those – Allianz Arena, Signal Iduna Park, Olympiastadion, Mercedes-Benz Arena, Veltins Arena – have capacities over double that of Volkswagen Arena.
In the last ‘normal’ Bundesliga season when it comes to fan attendance, Wolfsburg ranked second-last in average crowd.
Their season tally of 416,170 was larger than only SC Freiburg, and seven clubs had an attendance at least double that of Wolfsburg’s figure. Schalke, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund all passed the one million mark in attendance for 2018-19.
For all Wolfsburg’s success between the white lines in the 21st century, they are yet to develop a fan base that can rival Germany’s historic giants.
The Wolfsburg stadium capacity might seem on the small side, but they don’t require anything more at the moment. Perhaps that changes if Die Wölfe stick in the top five or six into the 2030s.
Wolfsburg Ground History
Upon earning Bundesliga promotion in 1997, Wolfsburg needed a new stadium. VfL-Stadion am Elsterweg wasn’t fit for purpose. It failed to meet Bundesliga regulations, forcing Wolfsburg to either renovate or build a fresh arena – they went for the latter.
VfL-Stadion am Elsterweg has since become the home for Wolfsburg’s reserve side.
Work began on Volkswagen Arena in 2001, initially under the name ‘Arena an der Berliner Brücke’. Early estimates believed the project would cost around 100 million Deutsche Mark.
Alongside this new-look football stadium, there was a lot of other investment in the Allerpark (where the ground is situated).
The stadium was complete by the end of 2002, and this modern sporting complex was believed to be symbolic of a team with ambition.
Wolfsburg wanted to make it to the Champions League, and they now possessed a stadium befitting of such glamourous nights.
Following the opening of the new stadium, Wolfsburg enjoyed a marked uptick in attendance. A clash with Hannover in April 2003 saw the Volkswagen Arena’s first ever sell out, and a few months later, the stadium hosted its first international match between Germany and Canada.
Like most sporting venues, Wolfsburg’s ground isn’t limited to football matches. Through the 2000s it was used for high-profile concerts, including Elton John, and even hosted a celebration for landmark sales of the Volkswagen Golf.
The late-noughties and 2010s saw further development at the site. A fan centre was added, as was VfL FußballWelt, an interactive experience about the club.
The club also invested in a new training centre, which opened up space to add a chapel. The AOK Stadium was the biggest addition, a 5,000-seater stadium for Wolfsburg’s women’s team and some youth matches.
Wolfsburg Stadium Tour
Like most top-flight clubs, fans can take a Wolfsburg stadium tour. The club website goes in-depth about what is on offer on their tours, even including themed options that take a look at the technology involved in the stadium.
A guide takes you around the Volkswagen Arena, sharing facts and stories about the stadium. It’s a chance to sit in the dugout, visit the changing rooms and get a good look at the museum.
Other Bundesliga news followers will be desperate to try the interactive exhibition or have a look at the smaller AOK Stadium.
Wolfsburg stadium tours run Tuesday to Friday at 2pm. They cost €8.00 per person, and there are sometimes options to look around the stadium at the weekend depending on the fixture schedule.
Wolfsburg Stadium FIFA 22
The Volkswagen Arena has been a staple of recent FIFA games. It is back for FIFA 22 and can be bought in the Ultimate Team marketplace if you’re desperate to play your home matches under its unique roof.
Given the shadows created, it isn’t the most popular of FIFA stadia, but the Wolfsburg ground looks resplendent in-game. EA have done a great job.