The start of construction on the expansion of German Bundesliga football club Union Berlin’s Alten Försterei Stadium is being delayed by wildlife protection issues.
Sky Sports said the Alten Försterei Stadium expansion is set to cost around €190 million and will eventually increase capacity to 40,000 spectators.
However, numerous regulatory requirements have repeatedly pushed back the start date for the project.
Union Berlin President Dirk Zingler recently presented the new plans and figures: instead of moving to the Olympiastadion at the start of the 2027/28 season as previously assumed, Union Berlin will not make the switch until January 2028.
Wildlife protection is one of the reasons for this delay. The new construction project requires felling several trees around the stadium, and the birds nesting there must be relocated.
This process requires a measure lasting a full year; only then can the trees be cut down, and even then, only during the winter months (starting in November).
Consequently, “Die Eisernen” (The Iron Ones) will play the first half of the upcoming season at their home ground.
The plan remains to expand the stadium to meet all international standards and accommodate 40,000 football fans. Union President Zingler’s vision is clear: “International football is to be played here.”
However, for the planned reopening at the start of the 2029/30 season, the new Alte Försterei will initially accommodate only 34,500 fans.
Although the stadium is being built with a potential capacity of 40,000, the city has currently imposed a limit of 34,500 for the opening, citing factors such as infrastructure issues.
1. FC Union Berlin is a professional football club based in Berlin, Germany, that plays in the Bundesliga, the highest level of the German football league system.
The Stadion An der Alten Försterei is a football stadium in Köpenick and the largest single-purpose football stadium in the German capital of Berlin. It serves as the home pitch of the football club 1. FC Union Berlin.
Move to the Olympic Stadium in 2028
During the renovation period, Union Berlin will relocate to the Olympic Stadium in the west of the city.
All the trades involved have already been notified that the schedule has been pushed back by six months.
However, the “Iron Ones” are already familiar with this scenario: when the Köpenick-based club qualified for European competition in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, their Champions League and Europa League matches were also played at the stadium of their city rivals, Hertha BSC.
In addition to increasing the stadium’s capacity, a large event area is planned for the space in front of the stadium.
A new parking garage will also be built, and plans include a clubhouse, among other facilities.
Significant infrastructure changes are also in the works: the new western bypass—a road providing additional access to the stadium—will run directly behind the “Waldseite” (forest side) stand.
It remains unclear where the professional women’s team will play their home matches during this period, as they also currently play their Bundesliga games at the Alten Försterei stadium.
An appropriate solution is currently being sought, as a relocation would entail various investments. A final decision is expected within the next six weeks.
According to the club’s president, the stadium expansion is essential for Union Berlin; Zingler maintains that this is the only way for the club to remain economically competitive.
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