As of: January 13, 2026 7:51 p.m
The Bundesliga match between Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen was canceled at short notice. The German Football League (DFL) announced this two and a half hours before kick-off.
The reason for this was “weather-related static risks in the area of the stadium roof,” which is why HSV’s Volksparkstadion was closed at short notice, the DFL said. The game was originally scheduled to kick off at 8:30 p.m. A decision should be made as soon as possible about a new appointment.
Condensation creates a safety risk
Snow and ice clearing work in and around the Volksparkstadion had been underway since the middle of last week, but the onset of a thaw in Hamburg changed the situation on Tuesday.
“Condensation water collected under the snow on the roof membrane in some places in the stadium and could not drain away, leading to large point loads,” said the HSV. “A structural engineer called in to assess the situation assessed the situation as a security risk, whereupon the game had to be canceled in coordination with the DFL and the local security authorities.”
Is the home game against Gladbach also in danger?
The safety of all stadium visitors is the priority, explained stadium director Daniel Nolte. The roof membrane should be checked for possible damage on Wednesday. Whether the game against Borussia Mönchengladbach can take place on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) depends on what the investigations reveal.
Lack of understanding among the fans who had traveled
The short-term cancellation caused a lack of understanding among many fans – some had already traveled several hours to find themselves standing in front of the closed stadium gates.
According to HSV, information on how to handle the tickets – the Volksparkstadion was sold out with 57,000 spectators – will follow in the coming days.
Third Bundesliga game canceled in the north
In northern Germany, the winter weather has been causing complications for days. It is the third game canceled due to weather in the Bundesliga. Last Saturday, the home games of FC St. Pauli against RB Leipzig and Werder Bremen against TSG Hoffenheim could not take place. Both games will be rescheduled for January 27th. Rail traffic is also massively disrupted, and school was canceled in many places due to the winter weather.
