Football stadium that was destroyed by tornado not fit for purpose for club’s season in major European top-flight

HOLSTEIN KIEL's stadium must undergo substantial renovations following promotion to the Bundesliga.

The German minnows have reached the Bundesliga for the first time ever.

The northern German side has become the 58th team that will feature in the competition since it started in 1963 after finishing second in the Bundesliga 2.

Next season they will face off against giants Bayern Munich and title-holders Bayer Leverkusen.

However, the club will be rushing to deliver major upgrades to the Holstein-Stadion ahead of the new season.

The historic ground was destroyed back in 1922 by a tornado and rebuilt and expanded.

It was built up to have 18,000 seats but it was partially destroyed again after bombing during World War II.

Between 2006 and 2009 the old west and northern arches were torn down and replaced a steel structure with seats and canopies.

The ground does still not meet the necessary requirements for the Bundesliga.

While 15,000 spectators can be held, there are only 5,000 seats which is 3,000 short of the required 8,000.

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That is not the only change that is needed at the ground ahead of the 2024/25 season.

A critical area that needs work is the infrastructure for the media.

Currently, there are only 65 press seats which will need to increase to 112 to accommodate more journalists.

Outside the ground, the number of parking spaces is needed to double to 80.

There will be plenty of stadium work happening in Germany this summer, with the nation hosting Euro 2024.

Kiel was founded in 1900 and won the German Championship in 1912.

It reached the third division in 2013 before gaining promotion to the Bundesliga 2 in 2017 after a 36-year absence.