FCU select Olympiastadion as Champions League venue
In a released statement, new German Champions' League representatives 1. FC Union Berlin confirmed that they would play their home UCL fixtures in Charlottenburg's Olympiastadion.
Some two years after contesting their 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League fixtures in the much larger Berlin Olympiastadion, Union Berlin are headed back to the larger capital city venue for their 2023/24 UEFA Champions League fixtures next year. The Köpenick-based club were granted a special dispensation from UEFA to play their home 2022/23 UEFA Europa League fixtures in their regular stadium; the famous Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
This time, Union would have theoretically been permitted to play next autumn's fixtures in the 22,012-seat-venue, but opted for the 74,667-seat-site instead. In a lengthy statement released by the club, Union President Dirk Zingler made clear that the decision was neither taken lightly or arrived at immediately. Zingler emphasized that all pro-and-contra arguments had been taken into account.
"I understand the disappointment of those who would have liked to see Champions League games at the stadium An der Alten Försterei and would have even forgone their own ticket for that," the president said, "In essence, our decision put the possibility of being able to offer tickets for these games to all Unioners above the possibility of playing these games in front of a rather small group. We have a small stadium. For many years we have been able to offer more and more members of our club fewer chances to attend live matches."
"To now give every one of our over 56,000 members the opportunity to experience these special games live in the Champions League," Zingler continued, "We think this is the right decision. I have had a great many conversations in recent weeks: with honorary members, with former players and staff, with organized fans, with non-organized fans, with members and sponsors, even with people who have been close to our club for many years, in some cases for decades, and who are not members."
"We never had to point out to each other in these conversations how important the Alte Försterei is to us," Zingler went on, "But we quickly realized how important it is to give many Unioners the opportunity to experience these extraordinary games live. I've had easier decisions in the past 19 years."
"Allow me close on a personal note," Zingler concluded, "For over 45 years, for myself, my children, and now my grandchildren, our regular stadium has been a second home. I know that this is also true for thousands of Unioners and their families. But it is just as important to me to make it possible for people to experience Union. Let's spend this zenith in our club's history so far together with as many Unioners as possible."
Germany's Sport Bild tabloid, for whatever its worth, does note that moving the games to the Olympiastadion does provide extra incentive for Union. Matches at the Charlottenburg palace - now permitted to fill to capacity after COVID restrictions left Union without full allotments in 2021 - can net the FCU an extra €1.5 million per fixture.