Westfalenstadion (German for "Westphalia Stadium"), officially known since November 2005 as Signal Iduna Park, is an association football stadium in Dortmund, Germany. With 80,708 spectator places, it is the largest football stadium in Germany, and is classified by UEFA as an "elite stadium", allowing it to host the finals of major club competitions. It is home to the German Bundesliga Team Borussia Dortmund, whose spectator set up a new European record there to million spectators (average approx. 76,500 per play) in the season 2003/2004 with 1,35. The stadium is south B 1 to the Strobelallee beside the stadium red ones earth and in the proximity that Westfalen resounding.

History 

The stadium was established between 1971 and 1974 for the soccer world championship with a spectator capacity by 54.000 spectators. The stadium with a friendship game between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 (0 was opened: 3). To the season 1974/75 Borussia Dortmund of the stadium red one earth moved into the new arena.

The first federal league play, which was delivered in this stadium, found between VfL Bochum (during the new building of the Ruhr stadium in April here 1976 moved) and Schalke 04 instead of. The Borussia at this time still kickte in the regional league.

History Westfalenstadion

Change 

The stadium remained structurally almost unchanged to beginning of the 90's. In the 1992 was reequipped on the north grandstand being located present into seats, whereby the capacity was reduced to 42.800. Between 1995 and 1999 successively the grandstands were supplemented. One began with west and east grandstand at the long sides of the playing field, in which second stage of development became also north and south grandstand covered (capacity: 68.600).

2003/2004 the stadium corners were removed. As standing place grandstand the south grandstand seizes 25,000 spectators and is the largest thereby in Europe. With international plays seats can be used here. Altogether itself the capacity of the stadium amounted after the change to scarcely 83,000 spectators.
The south grandstand signal of the Iduna park
increase

The exterior of the north grandstand glassed, on the inside are catering trade ranges and the BVB museum. Remarkable structural characteristic are, bright the yellow steel girders led outside, which exceed far over daas roof and are visible from many points of the city.

A last stage of development for the preparation of the stadium on the football world cup 2006 took place in the summer break 2005. It took place the installation of an electronic entrance system, which revaluation of the places for handicapped ones, the change of the VIP ranges, the cabs and the sanitary mechanisms.

Due to the structural alteration measures of the grandstands 1,500 spectator places were omitted and the stadium offer still place for 81.264 spectators. The south grandstand of the stadium offers today 25,000 places. It is thereby the largest standing place grandstand of Europe.

Renaming 
On 1 December 2005 the Westfalenstadion was named in Signal Iduna Park. For the rights of the use of a name of the stadium Borussia Dortmund releases estimated 20 million euro with optimal sporty success. The contract over renaming between Borussia Dortmund and the signal Iduna group of insurance applies up to the season 2010/2011. The Dortmunder fan scene is divided opinion over this step, since he offers on the one hand the financial safety device, but on the other hand a tradition break represents.

The district agency city center west decided at the beginning of the year 2006 to call a road in stadium proximity at the Westfalenstadion. The association rated this decision as unsensibel opposite the sponsor, while many BVB fans and Dortmunder were pleased that the steeped in tradition name remained now with the road.

Buildings and structures in North Rhine-Westphalia
Dortmund
Football stadiums in Germany
Sport in North Rhine-Westphalia