FC Union Berlin

The Stadion An der Alten Forsterei is the unique and beloved home of 1. FC Union Berlin, located at Hammerlingstrasse 80-88 in the Kopenick district of south-east Berlin. The stadium holds 22,012 spectators and has been Union Berlin's home since 1920, making it one of the longest continuously occupied football grounds in Germany. Its name translates as "Stadium at the Old Forester's House", referring to the former forestry building that still stands on the site. The ground occupies a setting surrounded by mature trees and forest, giving it a distinctive woodland atmosphere unlike any other professional football venue in Europe.

The Stadion An der Alten Forsterei became one of German football's most cherished venues long before Union Berlin reached the Bundesliga in 2019. During the club's decades in the lower divisions and second division, the ground was famous for its standing terraces, its community spirit, and remarkable events such as the 2009 Christmas carol concert at which thousands of Union supporters gathered with candles to sing carols - a tradition that has been repeated annually. The club's identity as a working-class, community-owned institution with deep roots in East Berlin's alternative culture made it a celebrated counter-cultural symbol, and the stadium reflects this character entirely.

Union Berlin's promotion to the Bundesliga in 2019 and their subsequent rise to Champions League football in 2023 brought the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei to European attention. The contrast between the small, old-fashioned ground with its wooden grandstand - parts of which were built by supporters in community work sessions in 2009 - and the elite clubs visiting in the Champions League was one of European football's most compelling narratives. The stadium has a maximum seated capacity for UEFA matches and, while modest, generates an atmosphere of extraordinary intensity. The forest setting, the ancient main stand, and the passionate Union fan culture make it one of football's most irreplaceable and distinctive grounds.