Hertha Berlin has taken a major step towards building its own dedicated football stadium. An expert commission appointed by the Berlin Senate has deemed a site on Jesse-Owens-Allee in the Olympiapark fundamentally suitable for construction and recommends the 2. Bundesliga club submit a preliminary building application.
The "Fußballstadion im Olympiapark" commission reached its conclusion after eight meetings since autumn 2024. A review panel led by the Senate Department for the Interior and Sport evaluated numerous aspects, including transport connections, building regulations, noise control, environmental law, historical preservation status, impact on Olympiastadion operations, integration into the Olympiapark, tendering processes, and leasehold rights.
The recommendation is a formal but significant milestone in a process Hertha Berlin has been pushing for nine years. The club first named the Olympiapark as its preferred location for a new stadium back in February 2020. Now it can proceed with submitting a building application to the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district. Iris Spranger, Senator for the Interior and Sport, stated: "I have supported Hertha BSC’s plans for a dedicated football stadium from the very beginning."
Governing Mayor Kai Wegner also welcomed the development. "After years of debate, I welcome the expert commission’s recommendation." Hertha has played at the Olympiastadion since 1963. The stadium, built for the 1936 Games, has a capacity of around 74,000. The club seeks a more intimate venue without a running track, targeting approximately 55,000 seats.
The stadium development is expected to cost between €300m and €400m. A separate company is likely to be formed to attract investment. The Senate has set two clear conditions: the State of Berlin must not incur any costs for developing the building site, and the operation of the existing Olympiastadion by Olympiastadion GmbH must not suffer economic disadvantages. President Fabian Drescher and the club must now solidify financing and advance the plans.
Alongside Hertha's progress, there are fresh delays for city rivals Union Berlin's stadium project. The Bundesliga club presented updated plans for the redevelopment of the Stadion An der Alten Försterei at its annual general meeting on Thursday. Following the finalization of expert reports and species protection measures in autumn 2026, planning approval is now expected in autumn 2027, with a building permit anticipated in winter 2027.
Demolition work is scheduled to begin in winter 2027-28. The construction period is estimated at around 18 months, with a return to the Alte Försterei planned for the start of the 2029-30 season. Union's temporary stay at the Olympiastadion, originally planned for one year starting in the 2027-28 season, has been extended by six months. The club will now spend a total of 18 months at Hertha's current home. The project, budgeted at €190m, was scaled back last November to break political deadlock, with capacity cut from 40,500 to 34,500 by introducing more seating.
While long-term infrastructure planning gains momentum, Hertha Berlin remains focused on its sporting objectives in the 2. Bundesliga. The current squad under manager Michael Skibbe needs to collect points in the coming weeks to maintain its promotion ambitions. The exact dates for upcoming fixtures can be found on the fixtures page. The next home match at the Olympiastadion is scheduled for 19 September 2026.
