LVM-Preußenstadion

The LVM-Preußenstadion presents itself as a relic of a different era of German football. The most striking feature is the running track that encircles the pitch, separating the stands from the grass. It is an architectural decision that dates back to 1926, when the ground opened as the Städtisches Stadion an der Hammer Straße, and it remains the defining characteristic of the venue. The stands rise steeply on either side, dominated by the long, low roof of the main stand.

The capacity has been whittled down over decades, to 12,672 today, though it is currently being rebuilt by the Hellmich Unternehmensgruppe to reach 19,165. The pitch itself sits at the centre of this transformation, equipped with a heating system and a roll-out grass system installed during a renovation in 2012.

Historical weight is carried in the air here, particularly around the 1963 founding of the Bundesliga, when this ground hosted a match against Hamburger SV that was the first sold-out stadium of the new era.