One of the newer stadiums in Germany, the home of FSV Mainz 05 is currently known as the Opel Arena due to an ongoing sponsorship deal.
Marketed as the OPEL ARENA and known as the 1. FSV Mainz 05 Arena when used for UEFA-sanctioned competitions, the stadium sits just 2½ miles from the centre of Mainz.
The Arena was built to replace the Stadion am Bruchweg and was initially known as the Coface Arena with naming rights having been sold from the outset to create revenue for FSV Mainz.
Opel Arena History & Stats
Visually, the Opel Arena is rather strange as it appears to sit right in the middle of the fields near Mainz rather than in an urban conurbation. Here’s how it is made up:
- Built: May 5, 2009
- Opened: July 3, 2011
- Renovated: N/A
- Capacity: 34,034 for domestic matches with 19,700 seated, this is reduced to 27,000 for any international or European games
- Record Attendance: 34,000
- Pitch: A natural grass surface, measuring the standard 105 metres by 68 metres
- Stands: Despite being relatively new, the Opel Arena follows a rather old-fashioned design. Not a bowl and with the corners left open, the venue is made up of the Haupttribune (North) and the Mainzelmannchen-Tribune (South) along the sides of the pitch, with the Osttribune (East) and the Lotto Rheinland-Platz-Tribune (West) behind each goal.
Memorable Games
Still, in an early phase of its life, the Opel Arena has already hosted what have been some very memorable games for tenants FSV Mainz 05 including these stunners.
FSV Mainz 05 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen
The home club’s first Bundesliga game at their new stadium was always going to be an important one, so marking it with a win was a great way to officially christen the new venue.
With a fluent display of football in front of 32,000 people, Sami Allagui struck in the first half before an own-goal followed late on to hand Mainz all three points at what was then the Coface Arena.
FSV Mainz 3-2 Bayern Munich
While still in its first season in use, the Coface Arena hosted perennial champions Bayern Munich with the away side understandably arriving as very heavy favourites. The Mainz players, of course, were having none of it.
There was a full house for this one, the home side taking the lead inside 11 minutes courtesy of Andreas Ivanschitz, the lead lasting until half-time leading to vociferous applause from the 34,000 in attendance as the teams went for the break.
When Daniel Van Buyten equalised, there was an air of inevitability about Bayern going on to win but just nine minutes later Marco Caligiuri put the hosts ahead once more.
Niko Bungert found the net on 74 minutes to make it 3-1, and despite another strike from Van Buyton for Bayern Mainz went on to win a match 3-2 that will long live in the memory.
FSV Mainz 05 0-0 Hertha Berlin
A 0-0 draw in a classic games list? This was important. At the end of the 2015-16 campaign, Mainz was ahead of Hertha only on goal difference when they played each other at the Opel Arena on the last day of the season.
Needing to avoid defeat to go into the Europa League group stages in sixth place, Mainz were tense and played out a very nervous encounter.
Six players were booked and one was sent off in this crucial match, the 0-0 result at the end leading to huge celebrations from the players in front of 33,800 approving fans.
FSV Mainz 05 4-2 1899 Hoffenheim
The 2018-19 season was a little underwhelming for Mainz fans, the team finishing in mid-table. On the final game of the season, however, there was still a party mood as 28,000 attended the match with Hoffenheim, the team looking to finish on a high.
Things didn’t go well initially, as the visitors went 2-0 up at half-time and remaining that way with only a quarter of the game to go. A stunning fightback however with goals from Daniel Brosinski (66) and Jean-Paul Boetius (83) meant the game was level going into the final minute.
Boetius scored again to complete the comeback and when John-Phillippe Mateta wrapped it all up on 93 minutes the crown went wild.
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