The VELTINS Arena plays a central role in the “KölnRheinRuhr” bid concept: North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister President Hendrik Wüst went to see for himself on Friday (August 28) where up to 60,000 sports fans could experience the swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming competitions. Swimming stars Anne Poleska (three-time Olympian, bronze medalist in Athens in 2004) and Maurice Wetekam (bronze medalist at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris), as well as young swimming talents from Gelsenkirchen, also took part in the event. They were impressed by how much consideration is already being given to the athletes’ perspectives.
During the meeting, Hendrik Wüst engaged in an in-depth discussion with FC Schalke 04 officials about their joint efforts. He spoke with head coach Miron Muslić and Robin Gosens about the team’s return to the Bundesliga. While walking across the Berger Feld, the Minister President, together with S04 board members Matthias Tillmann, Christina Rühl-Hamers, and Frank Baumann, reviewed the plans for the Schalke Terraces. The experience center is a key component of the project to create an open community—one that extends beyond soccer and is thus in line with the Olympic and Paralympic bid.
With an eye toward the upcoming decision by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) on September 26, 2026, attention turned to the future:
“Gelsenkirchen stands for internationalism and togetherness. Here, people stick together, regardless of their roots,” said Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia. “Games here in the West are for everyone who loves sports. For KölnRheinRuhr, these would be the biggest games of all time, with 17.6 million tickets.”
Andrea Henze, Mayor of Gelsenkirchen: “With the clear result of the city council referendum, the city’s residents have made it clear that they support our bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We’re delighted to be part of this effort together with the other cities in the region.”
Matthias Tillmann, CEO of FC Schalke 04: “With 60,000 people in the arena, we’re providing an extraordinary setting for Olympic and Paralympic swimming. We’ve often demonstrated at sporting events that Schalke—and thus the VELTINS Arena—is more than just soccer. The approach of using the existing arena underscores how major events can be organized in a more sustainable way.”
