Merkur Arena, Football stadium in Liebenau district, Graz, Austria.
Merkur Arena is a football stadium in the Liebenau district of Graz with an official capacity of 15,400 in 27 sectors. The pitch measures 105 by 68 metres and has undersoil heating. The curved dark roof sections rest on white beams, and a sign reading "merkur ARENA" with a green figure is mounted on the facade.
A first stadium opened on the site on 9 June 1951 as Bundesstadion Liebenau, with a match between a Styrian select team and AFC Sunderland. It was rebuilt from 1995 and opened on 9 July 1997 as the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium, with Sturm Graz beating GAK 4:0. Schwarzenegger withdrew his name in December 2005; the stadium became UPC-Arena in 2006 and Merkur-Arena in 2016.
The ground is shared by two clubs: SK Sturm Graz and Grazer AK, whose city derby opened the rebuilt stadium on 9 July 1997 with a 4-0 Sturm win. The forecourt has been called Ivica-Osim-Platz since 2023, after the player and coach who died in 2022.
The stadium is well served by public transport, including tram and regional train lines that increase their frequency on match days. There is ample parking space and gathering areas around the entrances.
The forecourt was named after Ivica Osim in 2023, honoring a former player and coach who shaped the club's development. This dedication reflects his lasting influence on SK Sturm Graz's path.
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