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DFB Cup, Berlin

Location
Berlin, Germany
Year
2011 – 2026
Products
Grandstands, stadiums and arenas

Every year, the German Football Association (DFB) organizes the cup competition. The DFB Cup has been played for since 1935 and is the second most important title in national club football after the German Championship. 36 clubs from the first and second Bundesliga and 28 teams from the lower leagues qualify for the first main round. The DFB Cup final has been held in Berlin's Olympic Stadium since 1985.

Temporary stadium extension at the Olympiastadion Berlin

For the DFB Cup final, the existing opening at the Marathon Gate on the west side of the Olympiastadion Berlin was temporarily closed to increase the spectator capacity from 74,244 to almost 76,000 seats. The Marathon Gate normally serves as the athletes' entrance to the sports area and is a striking architectural element of the stadium. Above the gate is the historic bowl in which the Olympic flame was lit during the 1936 Olympic Games. For the football final, NUSSLI used the area between the marathon gate and the bell tower to create a completely new stadium closed grandstand system to be realized. The temporary extension was integrated into the existing stadium architecture and met all the safety requirements of the German Football Association.

Marvin Ibo Güngör
Marvin Ibo Güngör

Complex requirements for planning and statics

The biggest challenge of the project was the structural planning of the grandstand system. The construction had to be developed in such a way that it would fit in perfectly with the existing stadium structure and at the same time meet the special requirements in the opening area. It was crucial to keep the load transfer as low as possible. This was achieved by transferring the loads specifically to the existing stadium structure. The ST folding grandstand system specially developed by NUSSLI was used for the implementation, which enabled flexible adaptation to the existing conditions. The grandstand above the marathon goal was also subjected to a special static test and verified in accordance with strict safety regulations.

Assembly under high time pressure

In addition to the grandstand construction, NUSSLI was also responsible for connecting an existing emergency staircase railing to the temporary structure. The integration of the new grandstand into the existing structure required precise coordination of all work and consideration of numerous safety-related requirements. Two project managers coordinated the implementation on site and managed a total of 30 fitters during the construction phase. Within three days, a fully enclosed grandstand system was created, which was ready in time for the DFB Cup final.

Marvin Ibo Güngör
Aerial view of the Real Zaragoza stadium with NUSSLI stands around the pitch
Aerial view of the Real Zaragoza stadium with NUSSLI stands around the pitch

Experience from international stadium projects

The project at the Olympiastadion Berlin demonstrates NUSSLI's expertise in the realization of temporary stadium and grandstand solutions under challenging conditions. Whether capacity expansions in existing stadiums, temporary main stands or complete transitional stadiums, NUSSLI develops customized solutions for professional sports. The focus is on integration into existing infrastructures, short construction times and the highest safety standards. The expansion at the Marathon Gate illustrates how additional spectator capacity can be efficiently realized even in complex existing situations. The experience gained from numerous international stadium projects is incorporated into every new project and enables flexible solutions for clubs, associations and event organizers.

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