Tens of thousands of soccer fans are regularly drawn to the MHPArena in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt to cheer on VfB Stuttgart. The imposing structure is located in Neckarpark, nestled between the Carl Benz Center experience center, the Porsche Arena, the Hanns Martin Schleyer Hall and the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Today, the stadium offers space for more than 60,000 spectators.
The MHPArena was built in 1933 under the name "Stuttgarter Kampfbahn" by architect Paul Bonatz. Initially, the venue held 35,000 spectators. By 1935, it had been expanded to 70,000 seats. Further renovations and name changes followed until it reached its current state. The biggest reconstruction work took place between 2009 and 2011, when the arena, then called Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, was transformed into a football-only stadium. Currently, the stadium's main stand is being rebuilt for the European Football Championship in 2024. A total of five European Championship matches will then take place in the MHPArena.
From world championships to open-air concerts
The Neckar Stadium, as the arena is still called by many fans, has always been more than just a soccer stadium. As early as 1933, immediately after the stadium was completed, the 15th German Gymnastics Festival was held here, and in 1969 Germany's first synthetic running track was installed. In addition to various German championships, the stadium hosted the European Athletics Championships in 1986 and the World Athletics Championships in 1993.
For decades, the MHPArena has also been an ideal venue for open-air concerts. Time and again, international artists have been drawn to the arena. The Rolling Stones played here, as did Pink Floyd, Robbie Williams and Helene Fischer, to name just a few.
MHP Arena Stuttgart
