Union Berlin has cleared another hurdle in its planned stadium expansion. The Berlin Senate has approved the traffic concept for the expansion to 34,500 spectators. In the long term, however, even more people should be able to watch the games.

At the end of September, it was announced that Union Berlin would have to scale back its plans to expand the An der Alten Försterei stadium. Due to an unworkable traffic concept, the Bundesliga club had to reduce the stadium’s capacity from 40,500 to 34,500 spectators after the planned expansion. This proposal has now been given the green light by the Berlin Senate. As 1. FC Union announced on Friday, the Senate Departments for Urban Development, Construction, and Housing, as well as for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection, and the Environment, have “welcomed the club’s new proposal with the reduced stadium capacity and confirmed the necessary traffic concept.”

This clears the way for the next step in the process for the development plan for the stadium expansion. However, all sides reiterated on Friday that the long-term and “common goal” remains future stadium operations with 40,500 spectators.

Lower capacity “painful” for Union for the time being

“I am delighted with the Senate’s quick and positive response to our proposal. The temporary decision not to increase capacity is painful, but we must move forward quickly with the expansion in order to remain competitive,“ Union President Dirk Zingler is quoted as saying in a club statement. ”Our goal remains an Alte Försterei with 40,500 visitors, even if we only achieve this at a later stage.”

Therefore, the same structure as in the original plans will be built. This can be retrofitted later when the transport infrastructure in Köpenick is in place. Currently, the stadium An der Alten Försterei can accommodate a maximum of 22,012 spectators.

“We have had productive discussions with Union and have found a viable compromise for the transport concept. […] The expansion of the stadium capacity to the originally targeted number is therefore not off the table. We will continue to engage in discussions,” says Ute Bonde (CDU), Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection, and the Environment. Christian Gaebler (SPD), Senator for Urban Development, Construction, and Housing, adds: “Union needs a stadium suitable for the Bundesliga, there’s no question about that. Berlin wants to continue to support its Bundesliga soccer club in its self-financed stadium expansion, also with the aim of enabling more Union fans to participate.”