German Football Association
Innovation driver for football: DFB campus opened
Opening of the DFB campus with academy and office. Photo: Arne Dedert/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The DFB has officially taken possession of its new home. The campus, which is as modern as it is monstrous, will be the center of German football in the future. The joy and the expectations are great.
With the ceremonial opening of the campus, the German Football Association has completed its EUR 150 million lighthouse project after more than nine years.
In the presence of around 300 guests from sports, politics and business – including national coach Hansi Flick – DFB President Bernd Neuendorf took possession of the new building at the symbolic key handover on behalf of the world’s largest national sports association. “The campus should be an innovation driver for football. We all want successful national teams. That can work here,” said Neuendorf.
Central contact point for German football
The foundations for sporting success are to be laid on the approximately 15-hectare site in Frankfurt with the academy and the office as well as the most modern training facilities and training facilities. “The DFB campus is to be the new central contact point for all of German football. It should be an engine. We want to push and implement things from here, »said DFB General Secretary Heike Ullrich and added: «I believe that June 30, 2022 will be a historic day in the history of the DFB – just like the laying of the foundation stone around two and a half ago years was. The move to the DFB campus marks a new era.”
The starting signal was given in January 2013. At that time, the DFB Presidium gave the order to examine the ambitious project initiated by DFB director Oliver Bierhoff. “He deserves a special thank you. He was a source of ideas and pacesetters,” Neuendorf said in recognition of the former national player.
Bierhoff was relieved after the long journey. “Hansi Flick was there from the start. The idea came up on our travels. We can all be incredibly proud and happy that German football put this together. Now it’s time to fill it with life,” he said. The project got bigger and bigger over the years. The DFB has a meeting place here and can fulfill its tasks a lot more.”
A landmark for the DFB
In March 2014, the association management gave the go-ahead for implementation, which initially stalled due to a legal dispute over the site of the former racecourse. The ground-breaking ceremony on the site took place in May 2019, and the foundation stone was laid a good four months later. “What was created here is great,” praised Hesse’s Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU).
In a construction period of just 39 months, 3.5 grass pitches and the four-storey campus building were created, in which a football hall with artificial turf pitch, a futsal/multi-purpose hall, a large fitness area and around 40 conference and seminar rooms are located on an area of almost 50,000 square meters. In addition, there are offices for the currently around 500 employees of the DFB and an athletes’ house with 33 rooms.
“In terms of construction alone, we have created a landmark for the DFB with the campus, architecturally it is state of the art,” said Ullrich, adding: “The working conditions are perfect. I think this great building has a positive effect on all of us, the joy and the fresh wind are literally palpable.»
Many experts from all over the world want to see this for themselves in the near future. “FIFA President Gianni Infantino, UEFA boss Aleksander Čeferin – all sorts of people want to see it,” Neuendorf announced proudly. The opportunity to do so will arise as part of the European Championship draw on October 9th in the Main metropolis.