The Schalke stadium knows no rest: since the final whistle of the last home game of the season, preparations have been underway for an eventful summer of concerts. Robbie Williams and Bruce Springsteen load up their tour trucks, Iron Maiden tune their electric guitars and PUR drum up their friends for the 30th anniversary of "Abenteuerland". Further highlights will follow until the end of the year - another exciting year of events awaits Gelsenkirchen.
"The excitement is palpable - we are delighted that two world stars, Robbie Williams and Bruce Springsteen, will be filling our arena in one week," says Christina Rühl-Hamers, member of the board at FC Schalke 04. Both were at Schalke for the first time over twenty years ago, "the fact that they keep coming back shows what a lasting impression the stadium and audience have made." The 2025 concert summer proves once again that S04 strengthens the region and inspires people. Rühl-Hamers emphasizes: "Since the arena opened, we have been attracting outstanding artists and spectacular events to Gelsenkirchen year after year - creating unique experiences and special moments that last."
Robbie Williams and Bruce Springsteen
It all starts on June 25 with Robbie Williams, who - after 2003 and 2013 - returns to the VELTINS-Arena to kick off his German tour. With over 85 million albums sold worldwide, numerous hits and his captivating stage show, the British pop star promises to cast a spell over the VELTINS-Arena. Just two days later, on June 27, "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen will rock the stadium together with the E Street Band. Fans can look forward to classics such as "Born in the USA" and "Streets of Philadelphia" as well as numerous new songs.
Two concerts of this magnitude by two different artists in such quick succession at the same venue - how does that work? The two singers share a stage, and a few changes are made on the day between the two shows. Meanwhile, there is more work for the Schalke staff; in addition to cleaning work, the north curve is transformed from a standing to a seated area within 24 hours. Rühl-Hamers explains the effort involved: "The execution of such events requires detailed planning and the utmost organizational precision - a demanding task that our teams master with great dedication."
Iron Maiden
On July 11, things will continue loud and powerful when Iron Maiden celebrate their 50th anniversary and the start of their "Run For Your Lives World Tour" at Schalke. Fans of the heavy metal band are promised a special setlist that spans the nine studio albums and, together with their most spectacular and elaborate show ever, will ensure a shaking stadium.
PUR and Friends
Another anniversary is on the program on 6 September: the exceptional German band PUR celebrates the 30th anniversary of their multi-platinum album "Abenteuerland". The day before, fans will have the chance to get a foretaste at the public dress rehearsal. Hartmut Engler and his colleagues repeatedly underline their exceptional status with spectacular live shows - the performances at Schalke now have cult status. PUR has given seven legendary concerts in the VELTINS-Arena since 2001, and this year the audience can once again look forward to the band's greatest hits and numerous "friends".
Olé and biathlon at Schalke
Olé auf Schalke promises another exuberant atmosphere this year: the biggest Mallorca party in the world is coming to the VELTINS-Arena on October 11. Stars such as Mia Julia, Mickie Krause, Oli P. and Lorenz Büffel will once again bring summer vibes to Gelsenkirchen in the fall and provide plenty of good cheer with their catchy hits. In December, the piste is then prepared for the 21st edition of the bett1.de Biathlon WTC at Schalke. The world's best athletes will take to the legendary arena track on December 28, and two German teams will once again be competing for the podium.
After the record year 2024 with a total of more than 2.7 million spectators, Gelsenkirchen can once again look forward to a varied year of events. Whether music lovers, party fans or sports fans, the VELTINS-Arena offers a varied program for everyone. Tickets and further information about the events are available at tickets.schalke04.de, on the hotline 0209 | 9775 1877 and at the FC Schalke 04 Service Center (Ernst-Kuzorra-Weg 1, 45891 Gelsenkirchen).
