“Since 2006, We Have Redone Pretty Much Everything Once”

In an interview with stadiaworld, Christoph Meyer, Director of Events & Communications and member of the Executive Board at Olympiastadion Berlin GmbH, looks back on 20 years since the “Sommermärchen 2006” (the summer fairy-tale), the German stadium landscape, and the most important developments.

stadiaworld: Looking back today – from a professional perspective – on the World Cup and on your stadium in 2006, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

Christoph Meyer
Christoph Meyer Image: Olympiastadion Berlin GmbH
Meyer: My first memory is: everything was completely new. The State of Berlin and the federal government had just invested 242 million euros (approx. 306m USD / 165m GBP) in the renovation to turn the Olympiastadion into a worthy tournament and final venue. Secondly, I was very impressed at the time by the gigantic temporary infrastructure. Hertha BSC’s press tribune, for example, was expanded from 300 seats to 2,500 seats for the World Cup final. Or the enormous hospitality tents, which also provided space for up to 5,000 journalists.

But the “Sommermärchen” itself then materialised quite suddenly once the tournament had started. That had not really been foreseeable. I still remember well that shortly before the tournament began ...