Wolfsburg against Kiel: attendance threatens to fall to an all-time low!

Wolfsburg against Kiel: attendance threatens to fall to an all-time low!

It will be exciting in the Volkswagen Arena when the DFB Cup battle between VfL Wolfsburg and Holstein Kiel takes place on Tuesday evening. But the anticipation is dampened because the viewer numbers are anything but rosy. According to a report from diefalsche9.de, an audience of only around 10,000 is expected - the lowest crowd in eleven years. This is not only a sign of dwindling demand from home fans, but also of the challenges Wolves face, particularly on weekday match days.

At the same time, there is a huge enthusiasm for traveling among the Kiel supporters, with over 2,000 fans flocking to Wolfsburg. 2,050 tickets have already been sold in advance, and the box offices in the guest block are open, where another 2,800 supporters could chant. While the Wolfsburg officials are expecting around 8,000 home spectators, the team has been struggling with spectator problems recently. A total of only 32,552 spectators came to a Europa League home game in the 2019/20 season.

A look into the past

A comparison with previous games shows the worrying development: there were only 14,000 spectators on site at the DFB Cup round of 16 against TSG Hoffenheim last year. These falling numbers are in stark contrast to other clubs in the league. The current 26th place in the attendance statistics should give you food for thought - especially given the average number of over 25,000 fans this season.

• Wolfsburger Spiele in dieser Saison: Nur zwei Heimspiele waren ausverkauft.
• Bereits im Januar sahen beim Bundesliga-Heimspiel gegen Kiel 22.103 Zuschauer zu.
• Die Kapazität der Volkswagen-Arena beträgt 28.817 Plätze.

The discussion surrounding the justification of the high place in the TV money table is getting louder, while those responsible are running away from the audience. The question arises: What does VfL Wolfsburg have to do to attract more fans to the arena again? For example, improved performance and exciting games could help bring viewer numbers back up. Especially in such knockout games in the DFB Cup, it is important that the spirit is right and the atmosphere in the stadium is exciting.

How the Wolves will approach this challenge remains to be seen. The fact is, however, that there is a lot to be done to win the loyal fans back to their team and to improve the public mood in Wolfsburg. Eyes are on the DFB Cup game - an event that, with a bit of luck, might attract more spectators than predicted. Let's hope for an exciting duel and unforgettable games!

For further information and statistics on the Wolves' attendance, visit kicker.de.