Union Berlin president, Dirk Zingler, has said the Bundesliga football club’s stadium redevelopment project is set to be delayed by at least a year.
Construction work on the Stadion An der Alten Försterei had been due to take place during the 2025-26 season, with Union to move to the German capital’s Olympiastadion during this time. However, speaking yesterday (Thursday), Zingler said: “According to the current construction schedule, we will be in the Olympiastadion in 2026-27.
“Creating good conditions for construction is more important to us than the timing. There can always be problems during construction.”
In November 2022, Union presented its vision to transform Stadion An der Alten Försterei into one of the best stadiums in Europe. Union is seeking to drive forward with plans first presented in 2017, only to be postponed by the outbreak of COVID-19. At the club’s 2022 general meeting, Union gave further information on the expansion plans, including what it claimed was a milestone for the project.
Union exercised the right of first refusal laid down in the heritage building lease agreement with the state of Berlin by acquiring the stadium property. For the first time since the sports facilities at the Alte Försterei were inaugurated in 1920, the site is now owned by Union.
The stadium is set to see its capacity rise from the current 22,000 to around 37,500, once work is complete. Through this, the three standing room grandstands will be rebuilt. Only the main stand will remain in place, but will be extended by one tier.
Zingler has now stated that stadium expansion will only commence when the club completes the development of a new training complex located behind the stadium. He added that construction planning will also need to be fully completed.
“We will only demolish the three sides when we definitely know when we can return,” said Zingler, according to MOZ.de. “We don’t want to suddenly run into difficulties during construction and suddenly have to play somewhere else for even longer. To leave the stadium we must be well prepared.”
Zingler has long dubbed the scheme a “generational project” for Union. He added yesterday: “Yes, we have to and want to build it, but only as well prepared as possible. I’m not interested in the issue of time, I’m only interested in the preparation of the project.”
