Merkur Spiel-Arena: Fortuna Düsseldorf
Peter Weihs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Merkur Spiel-Arena has been known by numerous different names over the years, not least of all because it was the host venue of the EuroVision Song Contest in 2011 and needed a simple name for that, becoming the Düsseldorf arena for the duration of the event. It is a multi-function venue, though it is best known as being where Fortuna Düsseldorf play their home matches in the 2. Bundesliga. It boasts a retractable roof, as well as a heating system that ensure that it is able to host events even during the height of the German winter.
For their part, Düsseldorfer Turn- und Sportverein Fortuna 1895 e.V., better known as either Fortuna Düsseldorf or simply Düsseldorf, are a German football club that has enjoyed mixed success over the years. At the time of writing, they play their games in the second-tier in Germany, having been relegated from the top-flight at the end of the 2019-2020 season. They managed to win the German championship in 1933 but have failed to repeat that success since, with their most recent silverware that is of any note coming in 1980 when they won their second successive DFB-Pokal title. They made to the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1979, losing to Barcelona.
Stats
| Merkur Spiel-Arena Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 2004 |
| Capacity | 54600 |
| Average Attendance | 39672 |
| Record Attendance | 50095 (Fortuna Düsseldorf vs Werder Bremen U23 (2009)) |
| Pitch Size | 100 x 70 (1700) |
| Former Name | LTU Arena, Esprit Arena |
| Owner | City of Düsseldorf |
| Sponsor | Merkur Spiel |
| Clubs Hosted | Fortuna Düsseldorf, Germany national football team, Bayer Leverkusen, KFC Uerdingen |
| First Fixture | Fortuna Düsseldorf v Union Berlin (10/09/2004) |
| Fortuna Düsseldorf Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1895 |
| Nickname | Flingeraner, Fortunen, Rheinländer |
| Rivals | FC Köln, Rot-Weiss Essen, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, and Wuppertaler SV. |
| Previous Stadiums | Lichtplatz, Vennhauser Straße, Paul-Janes-Stadion, Rheinstadion |
| Kit | Red (Home) / White with Red (Away) / Black with Red (Third) |
| Training Ground | Sports training center |
| Shirt Sponsor | Henkel |
| Record Goalscorer | Peter Meyer (139) |
| Record Appearances | Gerd Zewe (538) |
Merkur Spiel-Arena Photos
S.e.r.a.p.h
Walter Koch
Messe Dsseldorf GmbH
Merkur Spiel-Arena Seating Plan and Where to Sit
The Merkur Spiel-Arena tends to follow the tradition of European venues, in the sense that it had a bowl-style layout. It is based over two main tiers, with hospitality sections breaking those tiers apart in some sections of the ground.
Fortuna Düsseldorf Ticket Prices
When it comes to German football, there tends to be a solid spread of ticket prices in order to ensure that everyone that wishes to attend can afford to do so. This means that Düsseldorf have some tickets that are really cheap, whilst others are decidedly expensive and in better locations. When it comes to events such as the Euros, ticket prices are decided upon by UEFA.
Where to Buy
Getting To Merkur Spiel-Arena
Train – If you’re hoping to get the train to the stadium then the good news is that you can do so directly from the the Altstadt. The stop to look out for is the Merkur-Spiel Arena / Messe Nord, so as long as you can remember where it is that you’re heading, you should be ok.
Bus – The reality is that the train is the best way to get to the stadium if you’re intent on using public transport, but if you’re determined to get a bus then the 722 will stop a short walk away from the venue.
Car – Sometimes it is nice to be able to make your own way to somewhere like a sports stadium, so the desire to drive might be too much for some to resist. With that in mind, those of you that wish to take your own car will want to head towards the north of Düsseldorf, with the stadium being about five kilometres outside the historic centre of the city, on the banks of the River Rhine.
By Air – Düsseldorf International Airport is to the north-east of the stadium, about ten minutes or so drive. In other words, it is the perfect place to fly into if you’re heading to the city for the specific purpose of watching a football match. Depending on what time kick-off is, you might even be able to fly home the same day.
Taxi – If you’re looking for the most straight-forward and convenient way of getting to the stadium, a taxi will provide you with just that. From the centre of Düsseldorf it will take about ten minutes, traffic dependant, and cost you in the region of €15.
Parking Near Merkur Spiel-Arena
If you want to drive to the stadium then you’ll need somewhere to park. Area P1 boasts more than 22,000 spaces, with the cost for Düsseldorf matches being about €5 per car.
Useful Resources
Merkur Spiel-Arena Hotels
H2 Hotel Düsseldorf Seestern - £80+
Novotel Düsseldorf City West - £100+
Lindner Congress Hotel - £130+
Pubs and Bars Near Merkur Spiel-Arena
LiVE SPORTSBAR
The Boston Bar
The Irish Pub Bei Fatty - Fatty's
Facilities
The facilities at the Merkur Spiel-Arena are solid enough, with plenty of places to get food and drink and German efficiency ensuring that your time queuing is limited. It isn’t the most modern stadium in the world, but the heating system will ensure that you’re reasonably comfortable whenever it is that you’re attending an event.
Hospitality
FIFA and UEFA both have one main requirement when it comes to the stadiums that they choose to host their tournaments, which is that there needs to be excellent hospitality areas that they can use to keep all of their officials and sponsors happy. The fact that the Merkur Spiel-Arena was one of the stadiums for the European Championship in 2024 tells you that the hospitality areas in the venue are very much up-to-scratch, else UEFA would never have allowed it to be selected.
Private Hire
As is common with the majority of sports stadiums around the world, the hospitality areas of the ground can be hired out from time to time for personal functions. What you need for your event will dictate which part of the ground it is that you’ll be directed towards in order to ensure that everything goes without a hitch. If you’re interested in private hire, it’s worth getting in touch with the club to discuss your needs with them.
Stadium Tours & Museum
You can enjoy a tour of the Merkur Spiel-Arena, which will take in all of the most exciting parts of the football ground, for just €5. You can see the players’ tunnel, for example, where everyone lines up before the match, as well as the dressing rooms where the teams prepare before the match gets underway. You’ll also be taken into the hospitality areas, so you can see how the other half lives.
About Fortuna Düsseldorf
Based in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany, Fortuna Düsseldorf is a football club that was founded in 1895. Technically, that was when Turnverein Flingern, a gymnastics club, was formed, with Düsseldorfer Fußballklub Spielverein coming along in 1908 and FK Alemania being founded three years later. The two clubs merged in 1913 to create Düsseldorfer Fußball-Club Fortuna 1911, whilst six years later TV Flingem joined and Düsseldorfer Turn- und Sportverein Fortuna was created. It is fair to say, then, that the club’s history is a complex one, but by the 1920s it had progressed enough in order to win honours.
It has not been the most success filled existence for Düsseldorf, with just one German championship title to its name. That came at the end of the 1932-1933 season, with back-to-back DFB-Pokal titles coming in 1979 and 1980 providing a bit more cheer. In the modern era, the club was plying its trade in the Bundesliga until 2020, when they were relegated down to the 2. Bundesliga, which the club had won promotion out of at the end of the 2017-2018 campaign. The club played in the Intertoto Cup three times, as well as missing out on the European Cup Winners’ Cup when losing to Barcelona in 1979.
Merkur Spiel-Arena History
Merkur Spielarena, which tends to be stylised as the Merkur Spiel-Arena, was built between 2002 and 2004, opening in September of 2004 as a replacement for the Rheinstadion. The initially saying capacity of the ground was 51,500, but in 2010 that was extended when a seating area was converted into standing terraces. Though it wasn’t chosen as one of the venues when Germany hosted the World Cup in 2006, it has been used for a number of international games over the years. The first time this happened was in 2005, when Germany hosted Argentina in a match that finished up 2-2.
The stadium, which was known as the Espirit Arena for a time because of sponsorship, has been used as the venue for more than just football matches. For the final three seasons of the existence of Rhein Fire, an NFL Europe team, it was where their American football matches were played. It was also where Wladimir Klitschko and Eddie Chambers fought in 2010, as well as Klitschko’s fight against Tyson Fury in 2015. There have also been a wealth of music concerts held here, feating the likes of Phil Collins, The Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi.
Future Developments
Whilst some general sprucing up went on ahead of the 2024 European Championship, there are no major developments planned at the Merkur Spiel-Arena any time soon.