EURO 2024
Euro 2024 city guide: Stuttgart
With Stuttgart's MHP Arena set to host games at UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany, get clued up on the stadium and the city in our guides.
Stadium: MHP Arena
Formerly the Mercedes-Benz Arena, the MHP Arena was renamed in July 2023 and has been undergoing some renovations over the past year. In fact, Stuttgart's abode seen many changes down the years. Once the latest modernisation works are done, there will be enough space for 60,449 fans. A stadium has been on the site since the 1930s and known by locals as the Neckarstadion since the 1940s. It hosted games at the 1974 FIFA World Cup, the 1986 European Athletics Championships, the 1988 European Cup final, Euro 1988 fixtures and the 2006 World Cup.
Watch: Inside Stuttgart’s MHP Arena
Matches played there:
16 June: Slovenia 1-1 Denmark (Group C)
19 June: Germany 2-0 Hungary (Group A)
23 June: Scotland 0-1 Hungary (Group A)
26 June: Ukraine 0-0 Belgium (Group E)
5 July: Spain 2-1 Germany (a.e.t., quarter-final)
>>> See the full fixture list here!
How to get to Stuttgart:
Stuttgart airport, in nearby Echterdingen, is a comfortable half-hour ride from the centre of the city via a regular S-Bahn – suburban train – service, which also continues on to Bad Cannstatt – the closest station to the stadium – without needing to change train. The airport mostly serves European leisure destinations and feeder services into larger continental hubs. Located just off the A8 motorway, which sweeps round to the south of the city, road connections are also efficient. Furthermore, Frankfurt airport is just over an hour away by high-speed train, while Munich can be reached in little over two hours.
How to get to the MHP Arena:
Public transport is the best way to reach the MHP Arena, with a variety of options ensuring access to the venue. The aforementioned S-Bahn (S1) train stops at the NeckarPark station on matchdays, but Bad Cannstatt – which can be reached on the S2 and S3 – is just a 15-minute walk away. With U-Bahn services from central station, head to Mercedesstraße on the U1 or on matchdays with the U11 and U13 to NeckarPark (Stadion) station, just a few minutes' walk from the entrance gates.
Once in Stuttgart…
Things to see and do (apart from the football!):
Stuttgart’s history began just yards away from the Mercedes-Benz Arena, in Bad Cannstatt, the home of a Roman citadel from around 85/90 AD. Now the capital of Baden-Württemberg, industry has taken over in Stuttgart, the home to car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, and museums have been created to document the history of two of Germany’s most famous vehicle exports.
But Stuttgart isn’t just about high-powered cars. Take things slower in one of the many large parks or castle and palace gardens, while there are also numerous lakes to enjoy for some quiet time. And being down in Germany’s warmer southwest, you’re never far from a vineyard. Probably the annual highlight, though, is the three-week Cannstatter Volksfest – Stuttgart’s equivalent to Munich’s Oktoberfest.
Watch: VfB Stuttgart stadium experience
The local cuisine:
Maultaschen - a variation on ravioli - are a staple in Stuttgart. Spätzle - an egg noodle - and Schupfnudeln, another Swabian take on pasta, are two more typical side dishes. For the bigger eaters, Gaisburger Marsch (ox stew) and Sunday roast equivalent, Zwiebelrostbraten, are two traditional mains. And if you find yourself in the Botnang district, don’t forget to check out the Klinsmann family bakery. Yes, the Jürgen clan.
Check out the rest of our Euro 2024 city guides: