Sweden’s national stadium to rebrand as Strawberry Arena

Stockholm’s Friends Arena will undergo a rebrand in the summer as part of a new naming-rights agreement with Strawberry Hotel Group.

Strawberry’s deal with stadium operator ASM Global comes into effect on July 12 and will officially rebrand the venue as the Strawberry Arena.

Friends Arena opened in 2012 and serves as the home of Sweden’s national football team and Allsvenskan club AIK. The stadium has also hosted several concerts since opening and will welcome Taylor Swift, P!nk and Bruce Springsteen this year.

The naming rights to the stadium are currently held by banking group Swedbank, which donated the sponsorship to Friends, an anti-bullying non-profit organisation. Friends will continue to be represented at the stadium, and its commitment will also be extended to ASM Global’s other venues in Sweden.

Friends Arena has a capacity of 50,000 for football matches and up to 60,000 for concerts. The stadium has a retractable roof, enabling events to take place all year round.

As part of its deal, Strawberry will have the opportunity to offer visitors packages covering food and accommodation, as well as “unmissable” experiences at the stadium. The hotel operator will create VIP entrances for its members, specially adapted member events and Strawberry lounges in close cooperation with Quality Hotel Friends and Comfort Hotel Solna, which are located directly adjacent to the stadium. Strawberry operates over 225 hotels across the Nordic region.

Petter Stordalen, owner and founder of Strawberry, said: “The new name, Strawberry Arena, symbolises experience and diversity, setting the arena as a place for energy, courage, and enthusiasm. The best concerts will continue to be held here, football fans will cheer and cry; there will be something for everyone.

“Strawberry wants to continue to create a space for monumental meetings, experiences and moments in Sweden and the Nordic region together with ASM Global. We are incredibly proud that the arena will be named Strawberry Arena.”

Johan Mägi, commercial director at ASM Global, added: “Strawberry is a dream partner for us. They share ASM Global’s passion for hosting and delivering the best live entertainment experiences in the world. They will be a strong, long-term partner for the Nordic region’s largest arena and together we look forward to developing market-leading offers for our visitors across sports, music, conferences, exhibitions and more, along with thousands of other fans.”