New Tivoli

Tivoli
The Tivoli in October 2009
Map
LocationKrefelder Str. 205, Aachen, Germany
Coordinates50°47′36″N 6°5′50″E / 50.79333°N 6.09722°E / 50.79333; 6.09722
OwnerAachener Stadion Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH
(City of Aachen)
OperatorAachener Stadion Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH
(City of Aachen)
Executive suites1,348
Capacity32,960
27,250 (for international games)
Field size105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground2007
Opened17 August 2009
Construction cost 46 million
Architectagn Niederberghaus & Partner GmbH, Ibbenbüren
Structural engineerHellmich
Tenants
Alemannia Aachen (2009–present)
Germany national football team (selected matches)

The Tivoli, colloquially known as the new Tivoli, is a football stadium in the Sportpark Soers in Aachen, Germany, that opened on 17 August 2009 replacing the nearby old Tivoli. It hosts the home matches of Alemannia Aachen in the 3. Liga. The stadium has a capacity of 31,026 spectators – space for 11,681 standing spectators and 19,345 seats. The (all-)seating capacity for international games is set at 27,250.

The city first suggested the new stadium should be built outside the city, near the local airport. However, fans wanted the stadium built within the city. After much debate, plans were released in February 2007, showing that the new stadium would be built in Sportpark Soers, the sporting area the previous stadium was in.

About €4.2 million of the construction costs were financed by bonds mainly targeted at supporters of Alemannia Aachen.[1]

The first match in the new stadium was against the Belgian team Lierse SK, but it was closed for the public.[2] The first Bundesliga-match took place on 17 August 2009 against FC St. Pauli which Aachen lost 0–5, which was the highest home-defeat in Aachen's history.[3]

The first international match was on 4 September 2009 when the Germany national under-21 football team played their first match of the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification against San Marino, which they won 6–0.[4]

In June 2023, it was announced that the city of Aachen agreed to 1. FC Düren's application to use the stadium for the 2023/24 Regionalliga West season. Without the right to play their home games at the Tivoli, 1. FC Düren would not have been granted a license for the Regionalliga West and would thus inevitably have been relegated. The Düren stadium is being made suitable for Regionallia West play in the meantime.[5]

  1. ^ "Tivoli-Anleihe: Erste Zinsen werden fällig". Aachener Nachrichten (in German). 13 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Alemannia Aachen 2–2 Lierse SK". Alemannia Aachen (in German). 12 August 2009. Archived from the original on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  3. ^ "Plötzlich Tabellenführer". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). 17 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  4. ^ "Deutsche U 21 beginnt EM-Qualifikation mit 6:0". Focus (in German). 4 September 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  5. ^ Brepols, Lars (2 June 2023). "Regionalliga-Lizenz: Der 1. FC Düren darf im Tivoli spielen". Aachener Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 3 June 2023.