Gamla Ullevi - BK Hacken & IFK Goteborg Stadium Guide

The new Gamla Ullevi officially opened on 5th April 2009 with a match between Örgryte IS and GAIS which was attended by a crowd of 17,531. Built over a two year period between 2007 and 2009, this version of the stadium is the third iteration of Gamla Ullevi after the original in 1916, and the heavily rebuilt version which hosted matches of the 1958 World Cup,

Costing an estimated 335 million SEK, the new stadium has attracted a lot of criticism since opening as the design has said to resemble stadia of the 1980s, rather than the post-millennium period. The entire decision making process has been heavily scrutinised, and the decision to model the ground on Brøndby Stadion which required further renovation work upon opening has been seen by opposing politicians as baffling.

As Gamla Ullevi only just opened in 2009, there’s no possible way that it will rebuilt or teams will relocate to new stadiums within the foreseeable future. As the stadium has attracted lots of criticisms for its lack of “sex appeal” there’s a strong possibility that it could be eventual given a face-lift. However with any restyle likely to be funded by public funds it could prove very difficult to justify.

The National press has often discussed the idea of renaming Gothenburg’s stadium the “Gunnar Grens Arena” in honour of Gunna Gren who is widely regarded one of Sweden’s best ever footballers. After careful consideration the name “Gamla Ullevi” is likely to remain however, and for now a statue of Gunnar outside the ground is seen as the most appropriate tribute.

View of Gamla Ullevi

Below is a seating plan of BK Hacken & IFK Goteborg's Gamla Ullevi:

Stadion Gamla Ullevi is comprised of four stands: North, East, South and West.

Click the thumbnails above to enlarge an image of each stand and to read a more detailed description of each part of the Stadium.

Away fans (Bortasupportrar) are housed behind the goals within the lower tiers in sections I and G, and O and A. How many of these sections are occupied depends purely on the number of visiting supporters.

IFK Göteborg have a fan shop located at Parkgatan street within the main stand of Gamla Ullevi in addition to an online store.

Opening Hours

• Monday to Friday: 10.00 am – 6.00 pm
• Saturday: 11.00 am – 3.00 pm

On matchdays the club shop is usually open from three hours before kick-off and for a short while after the full time whistle.

Despite being billed as “the Nordic Region’s most pleasant football stadium” it doesn’t appear as if you can take a guided tour of the facilities at Gamla Ullevi at this moment in time.

Tickets to see IFK Göteborg can be purchased through the usual Swedish Channels: Online from the official website (print @ home available), from the Scandinavium Arena ticket office (Monday to Friday 12.00 – 6.00 pm) and from the various ticket booths at the ground which open on matchdays.

Standard Prices

• Premium (Blue): 330 kr.
• Langsida (Red): 250 kr.
• Langsida Yttre/Kortsida (Green): 180 kr.
• Staplats (Yellow): 140 kr.
• Kommandobryggan (Grey): 180 kr.
• Levande Sittplats (Purple): 260 kr.

Please note that tickets purchased on matchdays carry a 20 kronor surcharge, and there is a price increase for the highest profile games against the likes of Elfsborg, Malmo and AIK known as “Toppmatch”.

Stadion Gamla Ullevi sits within a prime location within Gothenborg’s city centre just over 550 metres from Gothenborg’s central railway station.

The stadium’s address for satnav is as follows:

• Ullevigatan 5, 411 39 Göteborg, Sweden

Car Parks

The stadium’s official website recommends the following car parks/garages: Heden, Ullevi, Rider Site (Åkareplatsens), Nordstans, and Skåne Street (Skånegatans).

Gothenburg Central Station is the second largest railway station in Sweden after the one in Stockholm, and it has numerous services around the country as well as to the likes of Norway and Denmark.

Public Transport of Gamla Ullevi

Göteborg Landvetter Airport is located 20 km south-east of Gothenburg within the town of Landvetter which it inherits its name from. Upon landing you can travel into the city centre via bus which takes between 20-30 minutes depending on where you wish to get off.

Less than five minutes south of the ground there is Hotell Allen which is three stars, moderately priced and in an unbeatable location for Football Trippers. In the area around the station and across the other side of Kungsparken there is also the familiar names of Radisson Blu, Best Western and Comfort Hotel.