Getting to Know the Alte Försterei

The Stadion an der Alte Försterei is a stadium like no other, a second home for Unioner.

Nestled, for now at least, in the forest on the edge of the Wuhlheide, the surroundings of 1. FC Union Berlin's home are almost as special as the ground itself.

As a newcomer though, I found my first trips quite daunting, unsure of what to do and where to go.

At the time, the Union in Englisch site had some older but still useful information on visiting the Alte Försterei, which helped me a lot.

Since that site has been down for a while, here's an updated guide to your first trip to Union's magical home!

This information comes with two caveats. As of the 2026/27 season Union plan to significantly expand the stadium, meaning at least a season across Berlin at the Olympiastadion.

2025/26 could be the last year of the stadium in its current form, even if the plans look like they will keep the soul of the place very much intact.

In addition, building work in and around Köpenick to expand the train station and add a bypass right next to the ground could have impacts during the season. Already in 2024/25 the walk through the forest was made that much harder by an ever-expanding building site.

Tickets

First things first. The number one challenge to watching a (men's) Bundesliga Union Berlin game is getting tickets. With a current stadium capacity of 22,000 and a good portion of season tickets, there aren't that many tickets to go around.

Tickets not sold to season ticket holders go into a lottery, for which you can apply around 2 weeks before the game. You must be a paid Union Berlin member to take part in the ticket lottery.

Your chances of actually scoring a ticket in the lottery are low - Union has 60,000 members and we can assume around 10,000 tickets are available per home game.

Within the lottery, you choose to be in the draw for either a standing or seated place (see the info on Sektors below). Lottery results are sent about a day after it closes, and you have to buy your tickets the next day.

Fortunately, there is an official secondary market (the Zweitmarkt or T2M) run by the club on the ticket website, which opens around a week before the game and updates whenever somebody gives up a ticket.

The system - assuming it stays the same in 2025/26, is singularly designed to drive members to madness, tickets popping up but disappearing in the same instant.

With a little patience though, it has usually been possible to get tickets on the Zweitmarkt for almost every game.

Unofficial tickets: Some visitors to Berlin try their luck on other sites, and at most games you'll see people having paid through the nose for a spot in the stands, often more than the cost of becoming an actual member and buying a ticket the proper way.

Each to their own, but be wary of scams and the high likelihood that you end up in Sektor 5 with the away fans.

If you are just getting interested in Union and aren't sure about membership plus the ongoing trials of getting Men's Bundesliga tickets, there are still ways to experience the magic of Union Berlin

Preseason games

Preseason games are typically available on general sale, so anyone can get tickets. The club sells them on the official site and you just have to be signed up for the website (not necessarily a paid member).

In early August 2025 Union men's team will play Espanyol and Olympiakos, for example, whie the women's team host Real Madrid.

Women's Bundesliga games

There are actually two Bundesliga teams in Berlin - 1. FC Union Berlin and 1. FC Union Berlin.

After a remarkable rise up the leagues, the women's team will play in the 1. Bundesliga in 2025/26, and play their home games at the stadium.

Tickets are generally available for most games. The last couple of games in 2025 were more or less sold out as we celebrated back to back promotions, but it should be much easier to find tickets for the women's home matches.

If you have younger kids, the women's games are also more suitable as there is a little more space, and there are plenty of children running around the stands.

If you do bring younger kids, a pair of ear defenders can be worthwhile, since the stadium gets loud!

It's still a great atmosphere and the team has been red hot in recent years, hopefully that keeps up in the biggest league.

Sektors

There are 5 Sektors in the stadium. You pick a Sektor when buying a ticket. All of them are standing except Sektor 1.

Sektor 1

Sektor 1 is the seated Haupttribune, running one length of the pitch. Tickets are much more expensive at around 40 Euros, but you do get a seat and possibly a prawn sandwich. Entrance is via An der Wuhlheide.

Sektor 2

The Waldseite is where the ultras stand, behind the goal and backing onto the forest. All of the chants and songs are led from Sektor 2. You'll be expected to participate passionately!

Photography in general is something you should be careful about - we are in the land of Datenschutz so photos which identify individuals are frowned upon. Especially in Sektor 2 it's particularly worth avoiding photography - enjoy the action with your eyes, not your phone.

Sektor 3

The Gegengerade is the main standing stand, if that makes sense. It's where we as a fanclub stand and is a good mix of atmosphere and having a decent view of the pitch. You can see the ultras and the away fans. The end towards Sektor 2 (right hand end of Sektor 3) is busier and louder, but all of it is plenty busy and plenty loud.

Sektor 4

Sektor 4 makes up half of the remaining end behind the goal. You're next to the away fans, but it's typically a tiny bit quieter and more relaxed.

Aside from Sektor 1, tickets in the standing sektors cost around 17 Euros 'first hand' and 19 or so in the Zweitmarkt.

In Sektor 1, you have a specific seat. Everywhere else, your ticket is valid for the whole Sektor. It doesn't matter what the block says, you can stand where you want. There is often more space towards the bottom and front of the standing sektors.

Sektor 5

Congratulations. You are in with the away fans. Enjoy.

Getting there and getting in

For men's Bundesliga games, if you want a choice of where to stand you'll want to be there latest an hour before kick off, especially if you want to be in a group and stand together.

The stadium is around a 10 minute walk from S Köpenick, and a few trams also stop at the named stadium stop on An Der Wuhlheide behind Sektor 1. If you want to come by bike, there is ample bike parking both in the car park behind the Sektor 1 stand, and on the Hämmerlingstraße entrance. Just remember to collect your bike not too long after the game - the gates get locked.

Assuming you're in the standing sektors, there are two ways into the ground. The most fun is down the Waldweg - coming from S Köpenick you get to the Abseitsfälle fan pub and turn right down the ever narrower gpassage into the woods, past the big Köpenick mural.

The queues on the Waldweg entrance often feel longer, and although less scenic, carrying on past the Abseitsfälle to Hämmerlingstr. is probably a smoother way in.

Have your ticket printed or in the app to scan. You can't take bags bigger than A4 size into the ground, nor bottles, though tetrapaks are allowed. Go tetrapak.

There is however a bag drop in the containers between Sektor 1 and 2 for larger bags.

There are plentiful food and drink options outside the stands and also grill and beer stalls inside - the ones behind Sektor 4 are often the fastest.

You'll need to show your ticket to the stewards to get into your sektor.

In the stands

Once you're in the stands you can enjoy the atmospehre, sing your heart out and watch Union destroy all comers. The only remaining concerns revolve around the related topics of drinks and toilets.

Being high up and central gives you the best view of the action, but getting in and out is an art form in itself once the stands are full!.

Staying a little lower down nearer the front rails can make it easier to get in and out if you need to, but the view is not so good.

If and when you run out of refreshment, plenty of beer sellers patrol the lower front rows. You need cash, and remember that your cup has a 2 Euro deposit on it and you can exchange it every time. Don't end up with 5 by mistake.

They do sell exclusively beer - soft drinks, water and in the winter Glühwein are available from the bars at the top of the stands and all of the bars outside.

If you're too far back to physically reach the beer sellers, you can pass your cup and cash down, and by the magic of the Alte Försterei a fresh one will make its way up to you, possibly with change.

They introduced handles on the cups in 2024 and a 5 Euro note tucks just perfectly inside.

If you prefer non-alcoholic beer, you can find it in a couple of the stands outside - one behind Sektor 3 and one between Sektor 1 and 2 - the small beer van that more or less leans against Sektor 1.

You'll have a blast during the game, whether it's your 1st or your 100th. Sing along, get involved and share the joy.

On the subject of singing, here is a good resource for the song lyrics to the most common songs heard in the stadium.

Two things to prepare for - it will be quite smoky; smoking is permitted and enthusiastically indulged in by a lot of Unioner. You should also be prepared for a beer shower if and when Union score; the amount of beer is inversely proportional to the time elapsed in the half.

After the game

Win, lose or draw, there is always much to talk about after the game. You can hang out in the stands for a while and the bars keep serving.

If you didn't lose your cup during a celebratory moment, you can get the 2 Euro pfand back for yourself, or look out for actual charitable donations collecting cups.

There are some very worthy causes that people collect for during the season. Generally they are by the exits at the top of the stairs.

Outside the ground, many congregate at and around the Abseitfälle afterwards.

The bar itself is fun inside but gets very crowded and busy. A better option can be the mobile bars in the car park and behind the car park towards the stadium, which have more space to hang around and chat.

Whether a one off or the start of something special, all of us in the group know the Alte Försterei as a unique and wonderful place.

Hopefully your first visits to the Stadion and der Alte Försterei leave you feeling the same.

Eisern!