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German club FC Heidenheim snaps up home stadium

German 2.Bundesliga football club FC Heidenheim has agreed a deal to purchase its home stadium, the Voith-Arena.

The €2m (£1.7m/$2.3m) deal with the city council also includes five training pitches and nearby parking spaces. The deal had been approved by the council last year, but the agreement has now been officially confirmed.

The stadium was built in 1972 and has a capacity of 15,000. The deal has been signed with Heidenheim enjoying a successful season, with the team currently sitting in seventh place in the standings.

Club chief executive Holger Sanwald said: “We are pleased that we were able to successfully complete the purchase of the Voith-Arena by signing the agreement. From our point of view, this €2m purchase represents a fair solution for both sides.

“We have succeeded in a clearer separation between professional football and the municipal tasks of the city.”

The Heidenheimer Zeitung newspaper reported that Sanwald has already invested some €28m into the expansion of the stadium.

Image: 1846 Hoirna