Work can begin in 2026, when the corners of the Rot-Weiss Essen stadium will be expanded. The final capacity will be 26,800 seats.

It has been clear since Wednesday: Third division club Rot-Weiss Essen will have the four corners of its stadium on Hafenstraße expanded. The decision was made at the last council meeting before the summer break.

The votes in favor of the expansion from the CDU, SPD, FDP, EBB, AfD, Licht, and “Die Partei” were sufficient. The Greens, the Left Party, and the Animal Protection Party voted against the expansion.

Before that, there was one last heated debate in which the protagonists gave their opinions on why the expansion should be approved or postponed.

Now it’s official: the corners will be expanded, which Luca Ducree, deputy sports policy spokesman for the CDU council faction, welcomes: “The stadium expansion is an important sign for Essen as a sports location. With this decision, we are finally creating the necessary conditions and upgrading the stadium to 26,800 spectator seats. This is not just about soccer, but also about a place of community in our city.”

The key data for the expansion:

Construction will begin in coordination with the main users, RWE and SGS Essen, after the 2025/2026 season. The latest start date for construction would be June 2026, provided that the building permit has been granted.

A total of around €29.4 million gross is estimated for the expansion, in addition to the €1.2 million in planning costs that have already been incurred. Financing will be provided in stages between 2025 and 2027.

Instead of a bicycle parking garage, ground-level bicycle parking facilities are now to be built in the vicinity of the stadium. These are more cost-effective, flexible, and accessible—especially for e-bikes and cargo bikes. A specific location is currently being determined. The stadium’s capacity is to be increased to 26,608, with 20,400 seats available after the expansion. This means that the stadium will meet the minimum requirements of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) after the expansion. For league matches, 14,483 seats and 12,125 standing places will be available.