October 2026 News For ten days, Kennedyplatz became a stadium
From August 28 to September 6, 48 nations competed for the Socca world championship title at Kennedyplatz in Essen. NUSSLI built the arena, which could accommodate about 2,300 spectators, in just over a week and a half—right in the middle of the pedestrian zone.
Six-on-six, a smaller field, and short halves: Socca is a fast-paced, compact version of soccer. At the natural elements SOCCA World Cup 2026, 48 nations competed against each other over ten days in three match blocks per day. The venue was Kennedyplatz, right in the heart of downtown Essen and surrounded by shops, restaurants, and foot traffic.
An arena nestled among rows of stores
For an inner-city project, planning begins with the on-site conditions. A location in a pedestrian zone presents special logistical challenges: access is restricted, space for material handling is limited, and pedestrian traffic continues during construction. About 20 truckloads were transported through the city center. Approximately 350 metric tons of material were used. It took a little over a week and a half from the first component to the completed arena.
The project resulted in grandstands for approximately 2,300 spectators, including accessible and VIP seats. The arena was complemented by the front-of-house area for sound and lighting, lighting towers, walkways, and the substructure for the playing field.
An arena in the town square
A city square is not a sports field. The surface of Kennedyplatz has slopes and unevenness and is not designed to meet the requirements of a playing field. To ensure that the artificial turf could be laid evenly and that consistent ball behavior was guaranteed, the subbase had to be constructed first. This served as the foundation for a level and durable playing surface—and thus for consistent playing conditions throughout the entire tournament.
Building on this, the challenge was to integrate the playing field, bleachers, access routes, and technical infrastructure into a functional arena within the limited space available. Sightlines, visitor flow, accessible entry points, and safety requirements had to be taken into account, as did inner-city logistics. The stands were arranged around the playing field in accordance with the geometry of small-field soccer and the tournament’s concept. The challenge lay in combining the various requirements within a confined space using temporary infrastructure.
Ten days, 48 nations
Essen had already hosted the Small-Field Soccer World Cup in 2023 and brought the tournament back to the city in 2026. With 48 nations participating, it was the largest edition since the tournament’s debut in 2018. In the final, Germany defeated Brazil 3–1 to become world champions for the second time since 2018. The tournament was organized by the International Socca Federation in collaboration with the German Small-Field Soccer Association, natural elements, and EMG – Essen Marketing GmbH. Even after the final, the arena remained in use: On September 9, it hosted Sepp Herberger Day, a soccer festival for elementary school children. This was followed from September 11 to 13 by the DFB Inclusion Days, featuring tournaments and activities for people with and without disabilities.
What Remains
Dismantling took about half as long as construction. Afterward, Kennedyplatz was reopened for public use. About 350 metric tons of material were dismantled and hauled away from the city center. The structural components used will be reused for future projects and will serve in numerous applications for many years to come. The arena was temporary—the materials remain in circulation, and the memories of ten days of soccer live on.
