Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff ArenA celebrates 30th birthday

Image: Johan Cruijff ArenA

Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff ArenA has turned 30 and for three decades the stadium has been the stage for unforgettable moments from legendary football nights to iconic concerts.

Ajax General Manager Menno Geelen and Tanja Dik, General Manager of the Johan Cruijff ArenA have reflected on the venue’s glittering past and look to its future.

Geelen has been with Ajax for 16 years and Dik has been with the ArenA for five.

Geelen said, “It has truly become an Ajax stadium. It is our home, and that is very important.

“And it is still a ‘state-of-the-art’ stadium. Before European matches, we often have lunch with the opposing team’s executives at the stadium, and they are impressed to learn it was built in 1996. That’s quite an achievement.”

The 55,885-capacity Johan Cruijff ArenA is the main stadium of the Dutch capital City of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and the home stadium of football club AFC Ajax since its opening. Built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost equivalent to €140 million, it is the largest stadium in the country.

Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or simply Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, that plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football.
 

Collaboration is key

Dik said collaboration between the stadium and the club has been key to the success of the venue.

She said, “Since I started here, the relationship with Ajax’s executives has always been excellent. However, in the early days, it sometimes felt as though Ajax and the ArenA were married but going their separate ways—forgetting they were actually a couple.

“Both parties wanted to move forward and had their own ideas. Communication is vital in a partnership like this; otherwise, you risk drifting apart. It is crucial to keep the dialogue open, and we’ve been doing that well in recent years—very well, in fact.

“We took a good look at how we could further intensify our collaboration. For instance, we now share a financial interest in stadium tours and catering. That’s why we selected the new caterers in close consultation with one another. We work together, so it makes sense to align our efforts.

“They are two distinct worlds, yet they overlap significantly. A few years ago, we made this explicit to our teams: we needed to collaborate more consciously and closely. That approach has worked well.”

Geelen added, “You both realize you share a common goal. When the Johan Cruijff ArenA performs well—hosting concerts and tours, for example—it allows for further investment in the stadium. Ajax supporters benefit from that.

“Conversely, when Ajax does well—advancing deep into European competitions, for instance—it’s good for the ArenA, too. Communication is strong, not just between the two of us, but across all levels of both organizations.”
 

Coordinating matches and concerts

Proper coordination is essential, especially regarding the schedules for (potential) matches and concerts.

Geelen said, “Ajax is the primary tenant, so, in principle, our schedule takes the lead. The only exception is during European matches; when UEFA takes over, Tanja and I feel like guests in our own stadium.”

Dik added, “We have solid agreements with Ajax regarding when concerts can take place. That is only possible between mid-May and mid-July. We don’t schedule them after mid-July, as that is when the qualifying rounds for European competitions need to be able to take place. There is mutual understanding of each other’s situations.”
 

Community feel

“Together, we also mean a lot to our local community,” Dik continues. “The residents of the Zuidoost district living nearby also recognize that we are an iconic venue with a touch of magic. What we do for the neighborhood and the youth is positive.

“When we host a lesson in a skybox or organize a ‘Neighbors’ Day,’ they all turn up. That public-private role adds an extra layer to our identity and the impact we can have as a venue. The power of a platform like Ajax combined with a concert platform enables us to make a meaningful impact.”

Geelen looks at the stadium with satisfaction. “For me, the color of the seats remains something truly beautiful. It’s almost impossible to imagine what it used to look like. But things like filling in the moats and closing the corners—as well as small details like the George Adegite artwork on the concourse and the recent Johan Cruijff piece by Streetart Frankey—all contribute to making it a true Ajax stadium.

“And while it may be a cliché, earning that third star gave the stadium even more of an Ajax soul. I get the feeling that, ever since then, all the supporters view the stadium as their true home.”
 

Future plans

Geelen talked about the future of the stadium. He said, “The stadium needs to be optimal for players, staff, and supporters. That balance is important, and we shouldn’t tip too far in either direction. It really needs to remain “our” stadium.

“We aren’t an American stadium where there’s some sort of gimmick every five minutes. Thanks in part to Ajax Resale, we’ve managed to keep no-shows to a minimum; that’s great, and it needs to stay that way. Safety, accessibility, and sustainability also remain crucial prerequisites. We feel a responsibility for those aspects, and the ArenA is a frontrunner in this regard.”

Dik adds, “We’d certainly like to expand, though I don’t know if it’s structurally feasible. We’re working hard to make investment possible. Our primary focus is the west side; we want to widen it to create more space for fans and, among others, sponsors. There are many shared and exciting ambitions. We always have plans for expansion.”

The fact that the partnership between Ajax and the ArenA is set to continue for the long haul pleases the pair. This is reflected in the current contract, which runs until 2040.

Where will things stand in ten years? “That everything looks just as pristine as it does now. That, together, we’ve created even more facilities for our visitors. And that we’ve made a real impact in terms of social responsibility and sustainability,” says Dik.

Geelen added, “If our successors collaborate the way we do, everything will be fine. Because the relationship between Ajax and the Johan Cruijff ArenA is solid.”

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