Union Berlin's Old Forest Stadium Expansion Hits Snag Over Traffic Concerns
The renovation of the Old Forest stadium in Köpenick, home to 1. FC Union Berlin, has hit a snag. The Berlin Senate has rejected the traffic concept for the stadium expansion, putting the project in jeopardy. The club has proposed a compromise to save the project.
The current stadium infrastructure struggles to accommodate the existing attendance of around 22,000 people. The planned capacity increase to 40,500 spectators has been deemed too large by the Berlin Senate. The traffic concept, a long-standing issue, has been the main hurdle in the expansion plans. Even without Union home games, the streets around the stadium are notoriously congested due to ongoing construction projects. The club has proposed a reduced capacity of 34,000 as a compromise to save the project.
Meanwhile, a sub-project of the renovation began in July 2025. This includes a new functional building for the men's and women's professional teams and a parking garage. This part of the project is unaffected by the current negotiations regarding the traffic concept.
The rejection of the traffic concept by the Berlin Senate has caused a major setback for 1. FC Union Berlin's stadium expansion plans. The club has proposed a reduced capacity to maintain the economic calculation of the project, pending improvements in traffic infrastructure. The future of the project now hangs in the balance.
