World Cup 2006 Stadiums in Germany - Stuttgart

Stuttgart Stadium

MHPArena (formerly Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion, then Mercedes-Benz-Arena and now MHPArena from 2023)

Capacity

Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion (reconstruction) - 54,500 capacity for World Cup 2006. Now known as MHPARena and up until 2023, Mercedes-Benz-Arena. Nowadays there is a total capacity of 60,058 spectators for domestic Bundesliga matches, which includes both seating and standing areas. Following the completion of renovation work in March 2024, this capacity applies to VfB Stuttgart league games, while the capacity is reduced to 54,812 for international matches which require seating only.

History

A soccer stadium has existed on the present site since 1933 when the (then-named) Neckar-Stadion was first built.

The ground located within Neckar Park was also a venue stadium for Euro 2024. For Euro 2024 it was known as Stuttgart Arena. The ground staged five games at the tournament, four group-stage games and one quarter-final as follows.

June 16 (Group C): Slovenia 1 v Denmark 1
June 19 (Group A): Germany 2 v Hungary 0
June 23 (Group A): Scotland 0 v Hungary 1
June 26 (Group E): Ukraine 0 v Belgium 0
July 5 (Quarter-final): Spain 2 v Germany 1 (a.e.t.)

MHPArena (formerly Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion then Mercedes-Benz-Arena)

The ground is home to VfB Stuttgart of the Bundesliga. Total costs for the redevelopment and renovation of the stadium are estimated at 41-56 million Euros and include two giant video screens and barcode reader turnstiles.

Along with Berlin and Nürnburg, Stuttgart was one of the three stadia for World Cup 2006 to incorporate a running track. From 2009 the stadium has been redeveloped into a football-specific stadium.

VfB Stuttgart

The club date from 1893. Some famous players to have worn the shirt include striker Mario Gómez, Sami Khedira, and Jürgen Klinsmann, who moved to Inter in 1989 after five years in Stuttgart. Other notable figures from the club's history are goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand, midfielder Guido Buchwald, and attacking midfielder Karl Allgöwer, who spent over a decade with the club, as well as modern academy products like Joshua Kimmich who moved to RB Leipzig and then Bayern and Serge Gnabry, who was born in the city and played for VfB's youth teams before his transfer to Arsenal in 2011 when he was 16.

Accessibility

The MHP Arena in Stuttgart is highly accessible, featuring step-free access throughout the venue and over 200 dedicated wheelchair spaces, particularly in the Untertürkheimer Kurve. The stadium offers 19 barrier-free toilets, accessible parking in P7, and special "barrier-free" guided arena tours, making it fully accessible for visitors with limited mobility.