Ottmar Hitzfeld Arena, Mountain football stadium in Gspon, Switzerland

The Ottmar Hitzfeld Arena is a football pitch in the hamlet of Gspon, 800 metres above Staldenried in Canton Valais, at 1,922 metres above sea level. It has artificial turf installed in 2009, a safety net on three sides, and is smaller than a standard pitch, with eight players per side and no offside rule.

The stadium opened in 2008 and hosted the European Mountain Village Championship, with Spain defeating Sweden in the final. Since then, it has served as the venue for the local team and high-altitude sporting events.

The club's women's and men's teams have both played here since 2008. In 1984, with FC Gspon's support, the Mountain Village championship was established in Switzerland, and in 2008 Gspon hosted the European Football Championship of Mountain Villages, where Spain beat Sweden in the final and Switzerland took third by defeating France.

Access is by cable car from the village of Staldenried, with the modern system transporting up to 25 passengers per trip since 2019. Plan for mountain weather conditions at this elevation and dress accordingly for your visit.

The pitch sits right beside a cliff, and club legend holds that around a thousand balls have been kicked into the valley below. Timo Konietzka, scorer of the first Bundesliga goal in 1963, sent replacement balls in 1990. A safety net covers three sides, but balls still disappear.