Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen

Veltins Arena, originally Arena AufSchalke, is a stadium in Gelsenkirchen, Germany which opened in 2001 as the new home for the Bundesliga football club FC Schalke 04. For Bundesliga matches, it has a capacity of 61,266, with about 45,000 seated. For international matches, its all-seated capacity is 53,473. The stadium has previously hosted the UEFA Champions League final in 2004. The stadium received its current name on July 1, 2005 due to a naming rights deal with Veltins, a German brewery.

This is one of the most innovative stadiums built in recent years. It has a retractable roof, and features a grass pitch that slides in and out of the stadium as needed. The sliding pitch keeps grass alive within a domed stadium, and also allows the stadium to be used for non-sporting events such as concerts without damaging the pitch. It also well known for its 5 km long beer pipeline!