Construction work has begun on the new main stand at 2. Bundesliga club Holstein Kiel’s stadium in northern Germany.
Holstein Kiel marked the start of the latest phase of its Holstein Stadium redevelopment project with an official groundbreaking ceremony on October 29.
The entire KSV Holstein board was present at the event alongside KSV president Steffen Schneekloth and vice-presidents Wolfgang Schwenke and Olaf Rebbe.
Representatives from politics, business and companies involved in the stadium project were also present.
The 2. Bundesliga team Holstein Kiel (KSV Holstein) is a German association football and sports club based in the city of Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. From the 1900s through the 1960s the club was one of the most dominant sides in Northern Germany.
The club plays at the Holstein Stadium in the port city.
The Holstein Stadium redevelopment project is being carried out in phases during the football season and in the off-season.
Once completed, the new stadium will have a capacity of 22,087 spectators, up from 15,034 with approximately 44 percent standing room and 56 percent seating.
The redevelopment is a comprehensive €75 million project aimed at modernizing the 114-year-old home of Holstein Kiel into a Bundesliga-compliant arena.
Designed by HPP Architekten and AX5 architekten, the design features a shipbuilding-inspired rib-like roof, glass-accentuated “cut-off” corners, and a full-surface photovoltaic system.
The pitch will also be shifted roughly 7.5 meters to the west as part of the Holstein Stadium redevelopment project.
Construction phasing and timeline
The redevelopment is being delivered in four phases:
- Phase 1 (2026–2028): Demolition of the existing northern stand and construction of the new main stand, scheduled for completion in March 2028.
- Phase 2 (2028–2029): Redevelopment of the west stand and half of the southern stand.
- Phase 3 (2029–2030): Construction of the east stand.
- Phase 4 (2030): Completion of the remaining southern stand, with the overall project scheduled to finish in September 2030.
KSV president Steffen Schneekloth said, “We at KSV Holstein are delighted that today’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Stand marks another important step forward.
“The stadium redevelopment is hugely significant not only for our club and our supporters, but also for the state capital Kiel and the entire region. We hope that construction work can continue to progress just as successfully and look forward with great anticipation to the next milestones.”
Wolfgang Schwenke, KSV vice-president and managing director responsible for commercial affairs, added, “The new Holstein Stadium will provide an important foundation for the long-term economic development of our club.
“In particular, the expanded hospitality facilities, additional business areas and new commercial opportunities will open up prospects that will enable us to offer our partners and sponsors an even more attractive environment in the future.”
The redevelopment of the Holstein-Stadion is also hugely important from a sporting perspective.
Olaf Rebbe, KSV vice-president and managing director of sport, said: “The Holstein Stadium is our sporting home and thrives on the special connection between the team and the fans.
“With the stadium becoming fully enclosed and the new stand design, spectators will be brought even closer together. This can generate tremendous energy and provide our team with additional support during home matches.”
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