Thousands of Palace fans will descend upon the Leipzig Stadium next week – the largest arena in former East Germany – so let's take a look at the story behind the landmark...
Palace on tour: Get to know Leipzig Stadium
Our first European campaign will reach a dramatic finale next Wednesday, where we will take on Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League Final at the Leipzig Stadium.
The Zentralstadion
The Leipzig Stadium as we know it was opened in 2004, but the site has origins that go back to the 1896 Summer Olympics.
After the success of the first modern Olympic games in Athens in 1896, the city of Leipzig started to draw up plans for a stadium of their own.
Modelled on Berlin's famous Olympiastadion, construction on Leipzig's Zentralstadion (Central Stadium) eventually started in August 1955. Partially built using debris from World War II bombing raids, the stadium was opened in August 1956.
The Zentralstadion played host to the 1958 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Czechoslovakia and the German Democratic Republic on the 27th October, 1957 – a game widely believed to have had the highest-ever attendance in the history of East Germany.
The official attendance figure for the game is listed at 110,000 spectators, but it is documented that roughly 640,000 ticket orders were received prior to the match.
The stadium was eventually demolished and replaced with the 47,800 capacity Leipzig Arena in 2004, in anticipation of the 2006 World Cup that was being hosted in Germany.
The 2006 World Cup
The Leipzig Stadium was the only venue located in former East Germany to host games for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
The group-stage draw was held in Leipzig on the 9th December 2005, and the stadium hosted four group stage fixtures and a Round of 16 game throughout the tournament.
The Round of 16 game contested by Argentina and Mexico proved to be especially dramatic. Neither team could find a breakthough after first-half goals from Mexico's Rafael Márquez and Argentina's Hernán Crespo, so the game went to extra-time.
Then, on the 98th minute, the Leipzig Stadium witnessed one of the most memorable goals in World Cup history. Maxi Rodríguez chested Juan Pablo Sorín's cross-field pass into the air, and slammed home an incredible left-footed volley from outside the box.
It was voted as the Goal of the Tournament, an award presented for the first time at the 2006 World Cup.
Die Roten Bullen
The Leipzig Stadium is home to Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
Founded in 2009, RB Leipzig have finished as runners-up in the German top-flight on two occasions, and have won the DFB-Pokal twice.
They even reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in the 2019/20 season, before being knocked out by Paris St-Germain.
Since the 2022/23 season, RB Leipzig have boasted an average attendance of at least 40,000 fans, and the club sold out eight of their 17 home matches this season.
Beyond matchdays, the Leipzig Stadium doubles as a concert venue – the likes of which Tina Turner, AC/DC, and Coldplay have all performed at.
Location from the city
The Leipzig Stadium is just a 30-minute stroll away from the city's historic centre.
Landmarks in the city centre include the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), and St Thomas' Church (Thomaskirche) – a 12th century Lutheran church where legendary composer Johann Sebastian Bach is buried.
If you're arriving to Leipzig via train, you will end your journey at the iconic Leipzig Hauptbahnhof – ranked the best rail station in Europe in 2021.
To the south of the city, you can find the iconic Völkerschlachtdenkmal, a historic monument to the 1813 Battle of Leipzig.
And if, we dare suggest, you are looking for a pre-match drink, why not check out the vibrant bar scene on Gottschedstraße on your way to the stadium?
There's plenty to see and do in Leipzig – not least, of course, catch a European Final...
Match Details
Crystal Palace v Rayo Vallecano
- Wednesday, 27th May
- 20:00 BST UK time / 21:00 CEST local time
- Leipzig Stadium, Germany
- Live audio commentary on Palace TV+
- Visit our Conference League Final Hub