Tele2 Arena

During construction in June 2012.

Aerial view of Tele2 Arena and Ericsson Globe, April 2018.

With a maximum capacity of up to 40,000 and a rectractable roof, the arena is able to host concerts, equestrian, motor sport, ice sports, banquettes, exhibitions, company events and shareholder meetings, in addition to football.

The cost was calculated to 2.7 billion SEK including land appropriation and a new parking garage under the arena. The cost was balanced against income from sales of building rights and rental from the operator who runs the arena. Financing was mostly covered by sale of land, mainly the lot where Söderstadion was situated, and associated building rights for commercial premises. The owner is the City of Stockholm via subsidiary SGA Fastigheter AB.

The arena was planned to host the opening game of the ice hockey World Championship 2013, but the construction was delayed and the arena was not finished until July 2013, two months after the tournament.[7] Initially, it was intended that the stadium would stage the finals of the Swedish Super League, but after the delay, it was decided that the finals in 2013 and 2014 would be moved to Malmö Arena.[8] It is decided that Tele2 Arena will be the national stadium of Swedish speedway and american football.[9]

It is also possible to have artificially frozen ice on the ground. The bandy team of Hammarby IF has practiced on the ice when this possibility was tried for the first time, but the team will so far still use Zinkensdamms IP as its home ground for bandy. "Bandyns dag" ("Bandy Day") was supposed to be arranged at the arena on 14 December 2013 with a match against IFK Vänersborg as the climax but had to be cancelled due to problems with preparing the ice.[10] Instead, the match against Sandvikens AIK on 10 January 2014 was played in Tele2 Arena.[11][12]

On 27 June 2013, just days before Hammarby IF's first football game in their new arena, an explosive device was found outside the stadium. Former players from rival club Djurgårdens IF were to play an exhibition game that evening in front of approximately 3,000 spectators, but the game was cancelled due to the threat. The culture commissioner for the City of Stockholm has stated that the city council "has authority over who gets to play there, and that power will be used" if the situation does not get under control.[13][14]

The first event at the stadium was a football match between Superettan sides Hammarby IF and Örgryte IS on 20 July 2013. The match, which ended in a 0–0 draw, brought in 29,175 spectators, setting a new record for highest attendance at a Superettan match.[15] The following day, a crowd of 27,798 attended Djurgårdens IF's inaugural match at Tele2 Arena, a 1–2 defeat by IFK Norrköping.[16]

Tele2 Arena lit up in green during a Hammarby football game in 2016

The national bandy final for women in 2015

Two football teams from Stockholm, Hammarby IF and Djurgårdens IF, have played their home games at Tele2 Arena since July 2013. Another Stockholm club, IF Brommapojkarna, have occasionally played matches against the other Stockholm teams at Tele2 Arena instead of at their usual home ground, Grimsta IP.[33]

The official inauguration took place on 24 August 2013, featuring Swedish artists Robyn, Lars Winnerbäck and Kent, but the first concert at Tele2 Arena had already taken place on 27 July 2013, with Swedish band Gyllene Tider performing.

Paul McCartney played the Tele2 Arena on 9 July 2015 as part of the European leg of his Out There Tour.

Madonna visited Tele2 Arena with her Rebel Heart Tour on 14 November 2015, attracting over 39,000 people.

On 28 February and 1 March 2014, Swedish super star Avicii made two sold-out concerts with 35,000 and 40,000 spectators, respectively.

The Rolling Stones played the Tele2 Arena on 1 July 2014 as part of the European leg of their 14 On Fire tour. It was the band's 26th ever appearance in Sweden.

In 2015, the American football World Championship was to be hosted in Stockholm, with Tele2 Arena as the only venue.

On 24 January 2015, the Arena hosted UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson, a mixed martial arts card headlined by Swedish fighter Alexander Gustafsson and American fighter Anthony Johnson.

In 2015 and 2016, the Swedish Bandy Finals have been held at the arena. In addition, Hammarby IF have played single matches here.

Adele performed at the arena as a part of her Adele Live 2016 Tour on 29 April 2016.

Rihanna performed at the arena as a part of her Anti World Tour on 4 July 2016.[34]

Super star Justin Bieber performed at the arena as a part of his Purpose World Tour on 29 and 30 September 2016.

On June 17, 2017, for her Celine Dion Live 2017 tour, Canadian superstar Celine Dion performed in front of a crowd of a less than average 21,699, Selling out almost instantly. She interestingly decided to divide the stadium in half for her show, citing “Better experience for the audience and for logistical reasons”.

The Swedish superstar trio Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello performed three reunion shows as the Swedish House Mafia at the Tele2 Arena on May 2–4, 2019, after they split up in March 2013 ending their One Last Tour at the Ultra Music Festival. Tickets for these shows sold out fast - more than 120,000 tickets were sold within 5 minutes.

• Stockholm Globe City

Media related to Tele2 Arena at Wikimedia Commons

• Official site of Tele2 Arena
• SGA Fastigheter AB
• Stockholm Globe Arenas