Red Bull Arena

Red Bull Arena stands on the edge of Salzburg in the suburb of Wals-Siezenheim. The stadium opened in 2003 and replaced the old Stadion Lehen as home to FC Red Bull Salzburg. It hosted three group matches of UEFA Euro 2008 under the name EM-Stadion Wals-Siezenheim. The pitch was originally artificial turf, installed in 2005, but natural grass has been used since 2008. The arena’s design allows quick conversion between club football and tournament requirements. The stadium’s capacity has changed several times. It began with 18,200 seats and grew to over 30,000 for Euro 2008. After the tournament the upper stand was closed for Bundesliga matches, cutting capacity to 17,218 to strengthen the atmosphere. In 2011 it hosted the Salzburgerland Cup, a four-team friendly tournament won by Shakhtar Donetsk. The arena remains the only Austrian Bundesliga venue to have used artificial turf. Visitors enter a modern bowl with steep terraces close to the pitch. The surrounding area is quiet suburban, with parking and public transport links from Salzburg city centre. Inside, the lower tier holds most spectators while the upper tier is mostly unused on league nights. The pitch is flat and well maintained, giving clear sightlines from every seat. On match days the stadium fills with home fans creating a lively but focused atmosphere.