Berlin
The Olympic Stadium, the home of Hertha BSC, will be the setting for World Cup 2006 matches in Berlin including the final on 9th July.

The stadium was built in 1936 for the Summer Olympic Games but has been renovated several times since then. Additional funding has been made available to completely renovate and modernise the stadium by the provision of additional stands that will cover the running track, and mean that spectators will be sitting right at the edge of the pitch. A new roof is also being installed.

The Olympic Stadium is often called the "German Wembley" as it has been used for the national Cup Finals every year since 1985 and when Germany last hosted the World Cup in 1974, three matches were played at the stadium.

Population : 3.4 Million

The Stadium : Olympic Stadium

Seating Capacity : 77,400 seats

Frankfurt
The Wald Stadium holds a place in international and German football history.

Built as a sports park in 1925, it was renovated for the 1974 World Cup and was the venue of the Opening Ceremony first match of the competition.

The stadium was also the venue for some memorable football matches, namely the rain-soaked battle between the German team and Poland at the 1974 World Cup, and Eintracht Frankfurt's UEFA Cup victory over Borussia Munchengladbach in 1980.

Modernisation of the stadium was carried out prior to EURO 88, and a further 125 million marks has been made available by the City Council for further improvements ahead of World Cup 2006.

Population : 650,000

The Stadium : Waldstadion

Seating Capacity : 45,000 seats


Hannover
Hannover, the capital of Lower Saxony, is one of the most important international fair venues in Europe and in the year 2000 was the home of The World Exhibition, EXPO 2000

After successfully playing host to matches in both the 1974 World Cup and EURO 88, Hannover is looking forward to hosting matches during World Cup 2006.

At the beginning of 1999 the city council committed itself to providing a stadium suitable for a World Cup.

To this end in the region of 100 million marks is being spent on the modernisation of the Niedersachsen Stadium

The first phase of this work was completed in time for EXPO 2000, with work n the whole project being finished in the summer of 2002

Population : 525,000

The Stadium : Niedersachsen Stadion

Seating Capacity : 50,000 seats


Munich
Munichs Olympic stadium has hosted numerous national and international events in the past.

It was the venue for 1974 World Cup Final, the final of EURO 88, and most recently the 1997 UEFA Champions League final.

The stadium has already been nominated for the opening match of the World Cup on 9th June 2006, and it was anticipated that it would play a major part in the tournament.

However, in December 2000 it was decided that rather than modernising Munich's Olympic Stadium, a new stadium would be built for World Cup 2006.

Organisers of World Cup 2006 are hoping that local clubs Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 will help finance this new stadium

If finance cannot be found, there is a possibility that Munich will loose out on any matches in the competition

Population : 1.3 Million

The Stadium : Olympic Stadium

Seating Capacity : 68,000 seats

Cologne
Cologne is the oldest of Germany's big cities and Cologne Cathedral is Germany's most visited building.

FC Cologne, whose home is the Muengersdorfer Stadium, was a founding member of the Bundesliga.

The stadium hosted matches during EURO 88, but not during the 1974 World Cup and apart from a few minor alteration, for which funds are already available, the stadium is ready to host matches in the World Cup.

Population : 1 Million

The Stadium : Muengersdorfer Stadion

Seating Capacity : 43,400 seats

Gelsenkirchen
The present Gelsenkirchen Park Stadium, home of the legendary football club Schalke 04, was constructed for the 1974 World Cup and was subsequently a venue of EURO 88.

However, in time for World Cup 2006 the foundation stone of a brand new stadium and home for the club was laid in 1998.

The Auf Schalke Arena will be multifunctional and owned by the club. It will have a glass facade and a sliding roof and will seat 52,000 fans in one of the worlds most modern stadia.

Completion is expected during 2001 and the new stadium is set to become one of the jewels of World Cup 2006.

Population : 285,000

The Stadium : Auf Schalke

Seating Capacity : 52,000 seats

Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserlautern, the Red Devils, own the Fritz Walter Stadium which went through an extensive redevelopment at the beginning of the Nineties.

With this modernisation, the seating capacity has been increased to its current level of 30,000

With a view to the stadium hosting preliminary matches of the World Cup, an extension of both end stands by a second storey is planned which will increase capacity to 44,000.

Kaiserslautern is undoubtedly one of Germany's football strongholds. The purely football stadium on Betzenberg creates a unique atmosphere which should be enjoyed by visiting teams.

Population : 100,000

The Stadium : Fritz-Walter-Stadion

Seating Capacity : 44,000 seats

Nuremberg
Nuremberg was not a venue at the 1974 World Cup nor at EURO 88, but now it is well prepared for a World Cup 2006.

In addition to the cities famous delicacies and specialities like fried sausages and Lebkuchen, a kind of gingerbread, and the "Christkindlesmarkt", a Christmas market, the city boasts one of Germany's most beautiful stadia the Franken Stadium, which was re-opened after extensive renovations in 1991.

Further monor changes are planned, and the city is looking forward to this 44,000 covered all seater stadium being used as a venue for matches in World Cup 2006.

Population : 490,000

The Stadium : Frankenstadion

Seating Capacity : 44,000 seats

Dortmund
The Westfalen Stadium was opened for the 1974 World Cup and in 1995 110 million marks was spent extending the stadium.

The Borussia fans, whose team Borussia Dortmund use the stadium, can enjoy themselves in the 2,000 square metres large eating area, in a theatre or at a cabaret football revue.

The stadiums standing area, Europe's largest with 25,000 places, can be converted into 10,000 seats for International matches thus reducing the capacity to 52,000.

Population : 400,000

The Stadium : Westfalenstadion

Seating Capacity : 52,000 seats

Hamburg
The new Volkspark Stadium was completed in September 2000 and was the venue for Germany's first World Cup 2002 qualifying match against Greece.

Hamburg, which stands on the banks of the river Elbe, has Europe's largest harbour and is one of the largest container ports in the world.

Hamburg is home to Hamburger SV, HSV, who in 1983, won the European Champion's Cup after a 1-0 victory over Juventus in Turin.

The Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg is ready and its beautiful new 50,000 seater stadium is looking forward to playing host to matches in World Cup 2006.

Population : 1.7 Million

The Stadium : Volksparkstadion

Seating Capacity : 50,000 seats

Leipzig
Although Leipzig can boast Germany's largest stadium with a capacity of 100,000, a new stadium is being built specifically for World Cup 2006.

Leipzig is a city with a long history in German Football with the German Football Association being founded there in 1900, and three years later VfB Leipzig winning the first German football title.

The Central Stadium which is situated within a 118-acre sports park, celebrated its inauguration in August 1956.

The new stadium to be built on the site of the present Zentralstadion, and will have a capacity of 47,000

Population : 530,000

The Stadium : Zentralstadion

Seating Capacity : 47,000 seats


Stuttgart
The former Neckar Stadium was inaugurated in 1933. In 1993 it was re-named Gottlieb Daimler Stadium.

The stadium played host to the 1993 World Athletics Championships and staged matches in both the 1974 World Cup and EURO 88. In 1988 the stadium was was the for the international football match between Germany and Brazil.

Extensive improvements have been started to provide a fully covered 50,500 seater. This improvements are scheduled to be finished by July 2001 well in time for World Cup 2006

Population : 550,000

The Stadium : Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion

Seating Capacity : 40,500 seats