Wildparkstadion

The Wildparkstadion closed its doors in 2018, but the new ground that replaced it carries that old name. The site sits in Karlsruhe, where the original pitch had been in use since 1923 under FC Phönix before the club changed. When the city decided to build a proper stadium, the old Phönixfeld was cleared for the new structure, which opened in August 1955. That first version held enough people for a crowd that would fill the town, but safety regulations over the years whittled that number down until the build was knocked down.

The rebuild took five years and cost more than anyone expected to spend, though the figure is not worth quoting. AGN Niederberghaus & Partner GmbH supervised the work, and the ground reopened in July 2023 with a match against Liverpool, a side that made short work of the hosts. The new capacity sits at 33,180, an all-seater arrangement that keeps things orderly. The pitch still uses the heating system that arrived in 2007, which means no more concerts where fans stood on the grass and trampled it.

The old stadium once hosted Monsters of Rock in 1984, with AC/DC and others on the bill. Riots after that show are what ended the concert trade for good, and the floodlights installed back then still stand today. One of the earlier matches drew 50,000 people for a Germany friendly against Norway, a day the visitors lost 2–0. The ground has been KSC’s home ever since the merger in 1952, though the club’s own banner at the final game thanked the Wildparkstadion for the years it lasted. The floodlight mast seen today is part of the new build, but the light on the pitch has not changed much in purpose.