<\/p>\n

Key facts<\/h3>\n

Club: FC Schalke 04 | Opening: 2001 | Capacity: 61,673 (16,000 standing)<\/p>\n

History and description<\/h3>\n

The VELTINS-Arena, before 2005 known as the Arena aufSchalke, replaced Schalke’s old Parkstadion<\/a>. It was the first stadium in Germany that was completely privately financed without government subsidies and came at a cost of \u20ac191 million.<\/p>\n

The VELTINS-Arena officially opened on the 13 August 2001 with a friendly three-team tournament between FC Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund, and 1. FC N\u00fcrnberg. The first match played at the stadium was the one between Schalke and Dortmund (0-0).<\/p>\n

When it opened, the stadium was one of the most technically advanced in Europe with its combination of retractable roof, slide-out pitch, and movable South Stand.<\/p>\n

The VELTINS-Arena was one of the playing venues of the 2006 World Cup<\/a>, hosting four group matches and the quarter-final between Portugal and England (0-0).<\/p>\n

Two years earlier, in 2004, it had hosted the Champions League final<\/a> between FC Porto and AS Monaco 3-0.<\/p>\n

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