TSV Havelse will now play their 3rd tier league opener against VfB Stuttgart II at the Heinz von Heiden Arena. This change was made due to insufficient conditions for mobile stands in the Eilenriedestadion, leading to a last-minute decision by the DFB.
Originally, the Niedersachsen club intended to play their first match of the 3rd tier league in Hannover's Eilenriedestadion. However, the 'necessary prerequisites have not yet been fully proven,' according to the DFB due to incomplete installation of mobile stands for a minimum capacity of 5,001 seats.
Minimum Capacity Not Met
The issue lies primarily with the fact that the necessary mobile stands are still not installed in the Eilenriedestadion. The Heinz von Heiden Arena in Stuttgart can accommodate up to 49,000 spectators and is therefore more than sufficient for Havelse's home games despite being much larger than required for the 3rd tier league.
The DFB has announced that they will continue working with TSV Havelse to possibly approve the Eilenriedestadion as a second venue. For now, only the Heinz von Heiden Arena and one other unknown stadium are considered.
As a result of this decision, Havelse will start their 2026/27 season in Stuttgart's 3rd tier league home stadium, despite initially being planned to play in Hannover.
