Ranked: The stadium situation of the Bundesliga

Austrian football and its infrastructure. It is well known that this is not always a pleasant topic.

It is fair to say that a lot has happened in various cities over the past two decades, or that one or the other project is already in the pipeline.

Finally something has happened in Linz.

The opening ceremony of the new stadium is scheduled for Friday, which should offer LASK new economic opportunities in particular.

On this happy occasion, this week’s episode of “Ranked” is dedicated to the stadium situation of the Bundesliga teams. The ranking is based on the respective opening of the venue:

#1 Profertil Arena (TSV Hartberg)

Opening: 1946

Capacity: 5.024

It was a feat of strength in the summer of 2018 that actually made it possible for TSV Hartberg – who had been promoted to the Bundesliga – to participate in the top division.

A temporary solution was needed, and mobile grandstands were set up behind both goals. In the meantime, however, the Oststeirer have been part of the Bundesliga for the fifth year and there is not much more that can be tinkered with at the municipal facility.

The association has had ambitions for a new building for some time, but chairman Erich Korherr and Co. have not yet brought this project to the finish line.

So for the time being it’s time to continue to make do with the venue where you’ve played since the club was founded in 1946.

#2 Reichshof Stadium (Austria Lustenau)

Opening: 1951

Capacity: 8.800

The new construction of the Reichshofstadion is planned for November 2023, with completion for summer 2025. So you don’t have to dwell on the status quo for too long.

From the point of view of Lustenauer Austria, it is high time that something happened with regard to the stadium, which is getting on in years. Of course, the facility has not been in its current state since 1951, so the main grandstand was rebuilt around 1996, but of course it is no longer contemporary.

18 million euros are estimated for the new arena, which should then offer space for 5,500 spectators.

#3 Lavanttal-Arena (Wolfsberger AC)

Opening: 1. June 1984

Capacity: 8.100

The Lavanttal Arena has been tampered with time and again, especially since promotion to the Bundesliga in 2012 – the aerial photo shows the status from June 2013.

However, it is no secret that the football field in the Lavanttal with its running track and the open areas behind the two goals is still quite far from state of the art, and this is also known at the WAC.

For some time now, President Dietmar Riegler has been pushing for a stadium that will accommodate around 10,000 spectators and, above all, be suitable for the European Cup. Because switching to Klagenfurt or Graz for international games robs the club of the home field advantage to a considerable extent.

Quite apart from that, the Carinthians should now be well enough established in the Bundesliga to have the courage to launch an infrastructure offensive. In truth, there is no alternative, so as not to lose touch completely should efforts elsewhere be crowned with success.

#4 Cashpoint Arena (SCR Altach)

Opening: 1. June 1990

Capacity: 8.500

No, in the Schnabelholz the present no longer really has anything to do with the version opened in 1990, quite the opposite.

Especially in the last few years, the Vorarlbergers have achieved an extremely pleasing development in terms of infrastructure. Thanks to the new construction of the south and north stands, the football arena now offers a completely different stadium experience compared to the early days of the Bundesliga.

All 4,400 seats and 4,100 standing places are now covered. The dimensions are also suitable for a club the size of Altach. The club was ahead of the infrastructure in its sporting development for years, but now it is important to constantly leave the relegation region and ensure continuous Bundesliga football in this stadium.

#5 Merkur Arena (Storm Graz)

Opening: July 9, 1997

Capacity: 16.364

Anyone who can still remember the old Gruabn (Sturm) and Casino-Stadion (GAK) football pitches knows that these venues may have had legendary charm, but probably had nothing to do with halfway contemporary standards by the early 80s.

The euphoria in football in Styria was correspondingly high in 1997, when the stadium, then named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, was opened with a legendary derby (photo) on the site of the old Liebenauer stadium.

In the end it went badly that you were actually much too late, but in retrospect it was a bit too early. Because in terms of stadium architecture, a lot happened during this time and so it happened that Graz soon looked rather outdated compared to arenas that were not built that much later, such as those in Salzburg or Innsbruck – not only, but above all the significant ones Limits in terms of business places hurt.

The stadium is owned by the city of Graz. The cooperation between Sturm and GAK with the stadium administration repeatedly causes mutual annoyance.

All in all, the facility in Liebenau has long since developed into an infrastructural problem for football in Austria, with no satisfactory solution for all parties in sight, despite years of discussions about a two-stadium variant.

#6 Tivoli Stadium Tirol (WSG Tirol)

Opening: 8. September 2000

Capacity: 16.008

No, of course it wasn’t planned that way. The fact that the “neighbor” WSG Tirol plays its home games in Innsbruck, as it does not have its own Bundesliga-capable venue, at least guarantees that the Tivoli will continue to be relevant for football.

Because the actual main user – regardless of whether his name was FC Tirol, FC Wacker Tirol or FC Wacker Innsbruck – has been far too often (economically) busy with himself in the past two decades and will finally be in the Tyrolean league in summer 2022 crashed.

It all started in a promising way, as the new version of the Tivoli could be opened with the championship titles in 2001 and 2002 before stupidly bankruptcy intervened.

Incidentally, the capacity for the home EURO 2008 was increased to 31,600 seats in the meantime, but was reduced again after the tournament. In the medium term, there does not seem to be any prospect of the current capacity being filled with club football.

#7 Red Bull Arena (FC Red Bull Salzburg)

Opening: March 8, 2003

Capacity: 30.188

The arena in Wals-Siezenheim has been around for two decades now and one can definitely say that this gem has not only experienced a lot in sporting terms.

Opened in 2003 with a capacity of 18,250, the stadium was expanded for the home EURO 2008. The fact that the game was originally played on artificial turf was not considered a good idea for too long – since 2010 the game has been played exclusively on natural turf.

Since the namesake of the club and stadium is not lacking in financial resources, it seems guaranteed that the arena will always be kept as modern as possible – especially as far as the business areas are concerned.

#8 Josko Arena (SV Ried)

Opening: 19. October 2003

Capacity: 7.336

The Josko Arena – also known over the years as the HomeLife Arena, Fill Metallbau Stadium or No Worries Arena – is celebrating its 20th birthday this year and still represents sensible planning for a club the size of SV Ried.

It is a pure football stadium that has been cleverly dimensioned and can provide a corresponding home advantage with reasonable utilization. The spacious VIP area is undoubtedly an important factor.

Ultimately, it was a wise decision to push for a new building and not to tamper with the old stadium after the first promotion to the Bundesliga in the 90s, as is sometimes the case elsewhere.

#9 28 Black Arena (Austria Klagenfurt)

Opening: 7. September 2007

Capacity: 30.000

Somehow it feels like a happy ending that Bundesliga football is now played regularly in the “Wörthersee Stadium”.

The arena was built for the home EURO 2008. The result was a real gem that, a decade and a half later, is still easily one of the best stadiums in the country.

The problem, however, was that in the course of the construction, presumably on the part of politics, everything was not always super clean and there was also a lack of foresight when it came to subsequent use.

For years, the ÖFB helped to maintain relevance with individual international matches and the cup final, in the meantime an art project including a forest on the field attracted international attention.

It’s a good thing that the Bundesliga return of Klagenfurt’s Austria put many negative headlines to rest.

#10 Allianz Stadium (Rapid)

Opening: July 16, 2016

Capacity: 28.345

Rapid is now playing in the “darn” seventh year at the Allianz Stadium, so far there hasn’t been a title to celebrate – but well, that’s hardly due to the stadium, even if it’s perhaps a bit less scary than the previous arena.

The venerable Hanappi Stadium was getting on in years when it was decided to demolish it and build a new one on the same spot. However, compared to “St. Hanappi”, the new stadium was rotated 90 degrees.

From an economic point of view, the 53 million euro arena with its 41 boxes is of course a quantum leap.

#11 Generali Arena (Austria Vienna)

Opening: 13 July 2018 (30 August 1925)

Capacity: 17.656

Yes eh, the last could also be the first here – depending on the definition. In its present form, the stadium at the distribution circuit was inaugurated in the summer of 2018.

Strictly speaking, however, it was not a completely new building – in principle, it had been repeatedly converted, adapted or renovated in patchwork fashion over the decades before it was possible to bring about a big hit a few years ago.

A stadium was built on the site for the first time in 1925, Austria moved in in 1973 and shortly afterwards it was renamed the Franz Horr Stadium.

In principle, it doesn’t matter which date you use. Ultimately, what counts is that another big Austrian club has a worthy home.

#12 Raiffeisen Arena (LASK)

Opening: February 24, 2023

Capacity: 19.080

One can confidently speak of an infrastructural quantum leap for LASK.

Because it doesn’t matter whether it’s the substitute home in Pasching, as it was recently, or before that the old Linz stadium, which really only triggered positive feelings among nostalgics (despite a renovation that wasn’t that long ago and wasn’t even that cheap), none of the previous Venues held modern requirements.

The fact that local rivals FC Blau-Weiss Linz are also getting an adequate new arena rounds off the welcome progress in terms of football in Linz and will probably make the two Graz clubs Sturm and GAK green with envy.

As a reward, the Upper Austrian state capital will now also get to see the ÖFB national team more often – for the first time at the end of March with the European Championship qualifier doubles against Azerbaijan and Estonia.