Goal-turf installation
The biggest football goal
in the world
at the Brandenburg Gate
In celebration of the 2024 European football championship being held in Germany, we’ve built the biggest football goal in the world to function as a frame around the Brandenburg Gate. The goalpost was 63 metres wide, 21 metres high and weighed 40 tonnes. To complete the picture, we also rolled out 24,000 m² of artificial turf in two areas, the Platz des 18. März and the Straße des 17. Juni. The result of this huge goal-turf installation was a pop-up park that served throughout the tournament as the setting for traditional large-scale public viewing, for a multifaceted programme of cultural events and entertainment and as a meeting point for football fans from all over Europe.
The artificial turf is 100 % recyclable
The turf we used for the installation was specially developed and made for the EURO 2024. The turf is a CO₂-reduced and climate-neutral synthetic turf and 100 % recyclable. In keeping with the global goals for sustainable development contained in the UN’s Agenda 2030 and, in particular, as a way of avoiding the use of microplastics, the turf was filled with a natural material (single grain, quartz sand) rather than rubber granulate, thus eliminating a main source of microplastic emissions. This allowed us to reduce to a minimum the danger that fine dust is released into the environment during the event and also long thereafter as part of the turf’s post-tournament use.
A new home for the turf
In keeping with our commitment to social, ecological and economic sustainability, we will be distributing the artificial turf after the UEFA EURO 2024 to football pitches and sport fields in Berlin. As soon the tournament comes to an end, the turf will be cleaned and cut to fit the dimensions of whichever pitch it is being sent to.
Overwhelming demand
The following sites will be renovated after the EURO 2024 using turf from the Fan Zone Berlin. The current selection of recipients was made after an initial needs report submitted by Berlin’s Bezirks- und Grünflächenämter, the offices responsible for caring for green spaces in the city. An additional waiting list was closed to new entries on 31 May, as the demand had exceeded the amount of turf available.
Location: Arndt-Gymnasium Dahlem
Address: Königin-Luise-Str. 80, 14195 Berlin
Berlin district: Steglitz
Type of site: Ssecondary school sport field
Current condition: extremely worn-out surface, full of holes and loose in spots; high risk of injury to the pupils who use it a lot during breaks and sport classes; requires urgent renovation
Location: Sophie-Brahe-Gemeinschaftsschule
Address: Am Plänterwald 17/23, 12435 Berlin
Berlin district: Treptow-Köpenick
Type of site: Mini playing field
Current condition: in poor condition; the old turf is worn out and curling up at the edges; high frequency use; visible vandalism (however, this has already improved as a result of the school‘s cooperation with Union Berlin, as the pitch and the large playing field next door are used more and until late in the evening)
Location: Erwin-von-Witzleben Grundschule
Address: Halemweg 34-42, 13627 Berlin
Berlin district: Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Type of site: Mini playing field
Current condition: in poor condition; visible vandalism; “when it rains, the pitch turns to mud”; open to the public after school hours; highly frequented; increased risk of injury at the moment
Location: Kita Sonne e.V.
Address: Annenstr. 33. 12683 Berlin
Berlin district: Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Type of site: Day-care centre outdoor area
Current condition: worn out and in need of renovation; used by children in the day-care facility as an important part of their daily activities at all times of the year
Location: Haus der Kulturen der Welt
Address: John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, 10557 Berlin
Berlin district: Mitte
Use: On the occasion of the EURO 2024, the HKW opened its doors to football with the project “Ballet of the Masses”. For five weeks from 7 June to 14 July, the HKW organised a number of events that made it possible for visitors to experience the unique relationship between football and geopolitics, football and sexuality, and football and racism.
Location: Bolzplatz-Initiative Berlin
Address: expected Behmstr., Berlin (am alten Standort der Hertha an der Plumpe)
Berlin district: expected Mitte (Kiez Gesundbrunnen)
Type of site: football pitch open to the general public
Current condition: sustainable football pitch project initiated by the Hertha BSC football team; pilot project at the former Hertha site at the “Plumpe” in Gesundbrunnen; the project seeks to raise awareness and inform the public on sustainability and social issues, fostering the “Bolzplatz” (football pitch) as a social meeting place and as a site for children and young people to play sports together; contact the Hertha BSC press office for more information