Almost 50 percent more places
©IMAGO
Holstein Kiel is getting a new stadium after years of discussion and planning. Depending on the approval process, the 15,034-seat Holstein Stadium will be rebuilt in several phases over four years at the same location in the north of the city after the end of the 2025/26 season and will accommodate 22,087 fans. 44 percent of these should be standing rooms and 56 percent seats. In addition, accessibility is to be improved, for example with 64 wheelchair spaces and 60 for visually impaired fans.
As the KSV announced on Friday, the Kiel council meeting decided on the award of the contract on December 11th. Due to complex planning and financing, the process from the request to the awarding of the order took a long time, and the existing arena no longer meets modern standards. Also because DFL requirements had to be met, such as the temporary east stand, which was completed in 2019, or new floodlights after the Bundesliga promotion in 2024. Now it is clear: “Zech Sports GmbH” is supposed to implement the design by “HPP Architects”. Visually, the new stadium should have a “clear, modern design language with a maritime reference” with a roof that is reminiscent of shipbuilding and therefore creates identity.
Holstein Kiel: This is what the club bosses say about the new stadium
KSV President Steffen Schneekloth said on Friday: “The new construction of the Holstein Stadium is a great step for us as a club. It creates a new and attractive home base for our fans and better conditions for our team on and off the pitch. The winning design that has now been presented is very successful. The new venue enables us to combine tradition and modernity and to be on a par with other clubs in terms of sports infrastructure. The construction phase during ongoing game operations will certainly be challenging, but we are happy to face it.”
The costs for the new Holstein stadium are expected to be 75 million euros net and will be borne by the state of Schleswig-Holstein, the city, the club and private investors. This also includes Holstein investor Gerd Lütje, who has supported the club since 2000 and sat on the supervisory board between 2007 and 2025. The state and the city would also benefit from the new stadium “as a result of regional economic effects,” emphasized Schneekloth. In addition to stimulating employment through games in the Bundesliga or 2nd Bundesliga, for example through “other events that can take place in various areas in and around the stadium outside of match days”.
“The future owner will be the Kiel sports facility and stadium company. Holstein Kiel should become the main tenant and refinance the stadium through a long-term lease – and continue to play its home games at the new old venue in the future.”
Would it have been too much to ask for the city/state not to want any money back?
Owning the stadium would make us significantly stronger economically in the medium term.
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Wolfgang Schwenke, commercial director of Kiel, said that the new arena brings the club “additional opportunities in marketing and partner activation”. A new business area with additional boxes will also contribute to this. The current premises, like the east stand, are rather temporary. “In this way, we can offer our sponsors a comparable offer that they are familiar with from other stadiums. A modern environment, new presentation areas and expanded hospitality offers also strengthen cooperation and increase the appeal of our location. This is an important step for the further development of the club and the region.”