Allianz Arena, Munich
Allianz Arena is a football stadium in the Fröttmaning district of northern Munich, opened in 2005 and celebrated worldwide for its unique inflatable ETFE plastic facade panels that can be illuminated in red, blue, or white light. Home to FC Bayern München and formerly TSV 1860 Munich, it holds approximately 75,000 spectators for domestic matches and 70,000 for UEFA competitions.
At a glance
- Type
- Football stadium
- Period
- Opened 30 May 2005
- Style
- Contemporary architectural design; ETFE membrane exterior by Herzog & de Meuron
- Location
- Franz-Beckenbauer-Platz 5, Fröttmaning, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
- Coordinates
- 48.2187° N, 11.6247° E
- Capacity
- 75,024 (domestic); 70,000 (UEFA matches)
Overview
Allianz Arena is widely recognised as one of the most architecturally distinctive football stadiums in the world, the first to feature a full colour-changing exterior. Located at the northern edge of Munich, it is the second-largest stadium in Germany after Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion. The venue hosted matches during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and serves as the anchor of a major sports park alongside ice hockey and athletics facilities.
History
After decades of playing at the Olympiastadion, FC Bayern München and TSV 1860 Munich jointly financed a new dedicated football ground, commissioning Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron following a design competition in 2001. Construction began in 2002 and the stadium opened on 30 May 2005 with a friendly between the two tenant clubs. It served as a centrepiece venue for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, hosting the opening match between Germany and Costa Rica. TSV 1860 Munich vacated the ground in 2017, leaving FC Bayern München as the sole tenant.
What you see
The exterior is clad in 2,874 air-filled ETFE cushion panels arranged across the entire outer surface, creating a softly luminous “air mattress” or “dinghy” appearance. LED technology allows the facade to glow in red (Bayern), blue (TSV 1860), or white (Germany national team) to signal which club is playing. Inside, steeply raked stands on all four sides ensure unobstructed sightlines across the entire pitch, and the fully enclosed roof creates an intense acoustic atmosphere.
Cultural significance
Allianz Arena has become a landmark of 21st-century stadium architecture, regularly cited alongside Beijing’s Bird’s Nest and London’s Wembley arch as icons of the modern sports venue. Its glowing exterior has transformed into one of Munich’s most photographed night-time images, bridging sport, architecture, and public art. The stadium’s design by Herzog & de Meuron — winners of the Pritzker Prize — confers architectural prestige on a building type rarely associated with high culture.
Practical information
- Address
- Franz-Beckenbauer-Platz 5, 80939 München, Germany
- Tours
- Self-guided and guided stadium tours available on non-match days; check allianz-arena.com for schedules
- Official website
- allianz-arena.com
Getting there
Fröttmaning U-Bahn station (U6 line) is directly adjacent to the stadium and the most convenient public transport option from Munich city centre. The journey from Marienplatz takes approximately 25 minutes. On match days, additional services run at increased frequency. A large park-and-ride facility serves those arriving by car, and cycling paths connect the stadium to the wider Munich cycle network.