Zurich City of Winterthur plans to renovate Schützenwiese football stadium

The city of Winterthur wants to modernize the Schützenwiese stadium. All spectator stands are to be roofed over and the pitch is to become a meeting place for the neighborhood.

As a first step, Winterthur is planning to renovate the standing terraces behind the gates, as city councillor Martina Blum (Greens) told the media on Wednesday. These are to be redesigned in the style of the opposing stand, which was renovated in 2015. The city council is submitting a project planning credit of CHF 3.5 million to parliament.

The construction phase should last from 2027 to 2029. The electorate would then have to vote on the construction loan in 2026. This is likely to be in the double-digit million range. Match operations are to continue during the renovation. The stands would therefore be rebuilt in stages. Those responsible are also examining the accommodation of premises such as the office or changing rooms.

A campus for the neighborhood

The second sub-project involves the comprehensive planning of the entire Schützenwiese plot, including the main stand. The application for the competition loan should be submitted in 2025. Implementation could start from 2030.

The aim is to create a campus that is used all year round and is not just available to the football club. It could accommodate extracurricular care or a kindergarten, for example. The kindergarten building on the Schützenwiese plot burnt down in 2022. It is also possible that a separate building will be built for this purpose.

More seats in the stadium

The modernization of the stadium is necessary so that FC Winterthur can meet the licensing requirements of the Swiss Football League, regardless of whether it plays in the Super or Challenge League.

With the renovation projects, there will certainly be more seats in the stadium, said Dave Mischler, Head of the Sports Office. The main stand in particular, which currently only uses around 60 percent of the space along the football pitch, is likely to attract more spectators.

According to FCW board member Christian Habegger, various changes are needed to offer a "contemporary experience". These include covered seating everywhere, new sanitary facilities and catering stands.

The Schützenwiese is one of the largest municipal parcels of land in Winterthur. As Philipp Mohr from the Office for Urban Development said, it is around 50,000 square meters in size. There are also public parking spaces and a transformer station on the site.

The site is used by junior players, women's teams and the judo club. Last but not least, the public open space, green areas and the promotion of biodiversity are important to those responsible.