Osnabrück City Council has given the green light for the renovation of Bremer Brücke Stadium, home of third-division German soccer club VfL Osnabrück.
NDR said the city council approved the construction project, with a total budget of €67 million.
Construction could start as early as after the 2025-2026 season now that Osnabrück City Council has given the go-ahead to the renovation plan.
However, a few important details still need to be clarified: The EU and the municipal supervisory authority in Hanover still need to approve the grants and the city’s respective budgets. The city intends to access relevant funding programs to realize the project.
Furthermore, a general contractor must be found to undertake the project within the specified budget. This is not expected to happen before mid-2026 at the earliest.
Bremer Brücke Stadium is a football stadium in the Schinkel district of Osnabrück, Germany. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of the 3. Liga team VfL Osnabrück. The stadium currently holds 16,100 people and opened in 1933.
VfL Osnabrück is a German multisport club in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony (Germany). It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis but is by far best known for its football section. The football team currently plays in the 3. Liga following their relegation from the 2023-2024 2. Liga.
The main objective of the stadium revamp is to upgrade while keeping the original heritage of the stadium intact.
The striking pylon structure will be retained – as will the four floodlight masts in the corners of the venue which have shaped the appearance of the Bremer Brücke Stadium for decades. The rough look of the venue will also be retained.
The city of Osnabrück is not exactly flush with cash but sees itself as obligated to secure the future of professional football.
Just a year ago, around €4.4 million had to be allocated for the planning of a renovation of the Bremer Brücke stadium on its current site.
The renovation became necessary after an inspection a year and a half ago revealed extensive damage to the laminated timber beams of the roof structure above the East Stand, forcing the temporary closure of that section.
The roof ultimately had to be removed – but this also meant the end of the previously applicable grandfathering rights. Current building regulations – including those concerning fire safety – also require work on two other stands with similar problems.
The commissioned project team and the Austrian architect Harald Fux (RAUM +), who has extensive experience in stadium construction, have created designs that preserve the Bremer Brücke’s existing character.
However, the zoning plan for the area, other building regulations, and requirements from the DFB (German Football Association) and DFL (German Football League) impose strict limitations.
Currently, the Bremer Brücke stadium, which is almost always sold out for home games, offers 15,471 seats.
After the renovation, the stadium will accommodate 17,500 spectators. This will include up to 1,400 VIP seats, more than doubling their capacity. This measure is crucial for financing.
Half of the total costs, amounting to €34 million, are to be financed through loans. Even though the city is acting as guarantor, VfL will have to repay the sum over the coming decades – more or less depending on the league the club plays in.
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