Union Berlin is not planning to move to the Olympic Stadium until 2028 due to construction delays

With harsh criticism of too many requirements and too much bureaucracy, Union Berlin President Dirk Zingler has announced a longer move by the Bundesliga soccer team to the Olympic Stadium. Due to the upcoming major renovation work on the stadium at the Alte Försterei, the Eisernen will now only move games to the arena in the west of the capital, which is unpopular with fans, at the beginning of 2028, Zingler announced at the general meeting of Berlin's largest sports club.

The Köpenickers now have to play their home games in the Olympic Stadium, which is also used by Hertha BSC, for a season and a half until the start of the 2029/30 season. The move was actually planned for a year from summer 2027 to summer 2028. The reason for the delay is official requirements that only allow the necessary felling of trees on the large construction site from November.

Old forestry facility is being expanded

1. FC Union is planning a major expansion of its stadium. In the long term, the capacity of the traditional arena is to be almost doubled from the current 22,000 to 40,000 spectators at the end. Union estimates a sum of 190 million euros for this.

The renovation is the “basis of life” for the club. You have to “invest a lot to create competitiveness,” said Zingler at the start of the men’s team’s eighth Bundesliga year and the women’s team’s second season in the top division.

The long-time club boss once again used the topic for a general criticism of the administrative processes with many applications and decision-makers. «We are complicated and we hinder our own success in our country. And ultimately that’s no different in our city,” said the 62-year-old entrepreneur.

Specifically, the football club's construction project also involves animal welfare requirements. For example, Union would have to build three replacement nests for every bird nest in the felled trees. In this regard, Zingler stated that the requirements would be exceeded if necessary in order to prevent legal disputes. “I’d rather hang 30 more nesting boxes than ten too few,” he said. A delay due to a possible legal dispute cannot be economically afforded.

Compensate for disadvantages compared to Bundesliga competition

According to Zingler, Union is the club with the lowest income per ticket sold. This results from the small number of only around 4,000 seats and 18,000 standing places. Even newly promoted Bundesliga club SV Elversberg is generating higher matchday revenue. You can't compare yourself with fellow promoted team Schalke 04 in this regard.

It is still unclear where the women's team will play its home games during the construction period. Zingler expects a decision within the next six to eight weeks. The Unioners will not play in the Olympic Stadium.