Our stadium – The WWK ARENA
FC Augsburg’s first game in the new stadium was on July 26th 2009 – a friendly between a team of players selected from the region, all as part of the arena’s opening ceremony. The game ended with a 2-0 win for FCA. The first competitive match home win in the WWK ARENA followed on matchday 6 of the 2009/10 2. Bundesliga season against Hansa Rostock. In their first season at their new home, FCA managed to reach the DFB-Pokal semi-finals and finished in third place in the 2. Bundesliga. This gave the Fuggerstädtera chance at promotion to the top flight through the play-off. It didn’t work out in 2010, but one year later Augsburg secured Bundesliga promotion for the first time in the clubs’ history, in a campaign that saw them win ten matches at home (2nd in the 2. Bundesliga). Since then, Augsburg’s WWK ARENA has become a familiar football ground in Germany. Steep stands and a fantastic atmosphere make a visit here an unforgettable experience. The German newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” nicknamed the WWK ARENA the “Anfield Road on the B17” alluding to the special atmosphere the fans create. In arguably the biggest fixture in FC Augsburg in history, the WWK ARENA hosted the Europa League round of 32 first leg between FCA and Liverpool in February 2016.
The origin
Plans for a modern football stadium were set into motion back in 2004, when FC Augsburg was still playing fourth-tier football. The Rosenaustadion (built in 1951) was no longer a suitable ground for modern football due to its surrounding running track and various requirements for reconstruction.
The tender was awarded to Augsburg architects Bernhard & Kögl and HBM Stadien- and Sportstätten GmbH as the general contractors, who then designed the arena, which has an expansion potential of up to 50,000 spectators. The roof structure is held up by a steel construction, while the stand structure a reinforced concrete foundation. The functionality of the WWK ARENA’s design adheres to all the guidelines set by the DFB and FIFA and has a capacity of 30,660 spectators. The main building also holds the Business Club, lounges and VIP gastronomy.
FCA recently build a training facility to the west of the WWK ARENA with two natural football pitches and an artificial pitch, which were first used by FCA’s professional team during the pre-season preparations for the 2012/13 season. At the same time, a majority of the FCA offices moved into the main building of the arena.
Construction & cost
Owner: FC Augsburg 1907 e.V.
Construction period: November 2007 through July 2009
WWK ARENA costs: €45 million
Training centre costs: €1.5 million
Capacity
Full capacity: 30,660 spectators
Home team seats: 19,556
Home team standing section: 8,000
Away team seats: 800
Away team standing room: 2,200
Space for wheelchair users: 46
Media seats: 99
Parking spaces: 3,500
Of which are day ticket only: 1,140
Parking spaces for buses: 80
Gastronomy
LEW Business Club: 1,600 guests
LEW Sports Bar: 120 guests
Lounges: 520 guests
Catering services: 12 Kiosk’s
Miscellaneous
Pitch dimensions: 105 x 68 metres
Video screen: 6.40 x 4.80 metres
Stands’ angle of inclination: 26 – 36 degrees
Size of lettering on north and east side of stadium: 38 x 4.5 metres
Size of lettering on west side of stadium: 25 x 3.0 metres
