Strawberry Arena

{{Short description|Association football stadium in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden}}

{{Infobox venue

| name = Nationalarenan
Strawberry Arena

| logo_image =

| image =

250px 250px

| image_size =

| caption = UEFA {{rating|4|4}}

| fullname = Strawberry Arena

| former_names = Swedbank Arena (2009–2012)
Friends Arena (2012–2024)

| city = Stockholm

| country = Sweden

| location = Solna, Stockholm, Sweden

| coordinates = {{coord|59|22|21|N|18|00|00|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| broke_ground = 7 December 2009{{cite news | title=Inledande spadtag för nationalarenan | url=https://www.dn.se/sport/fotboll/inledande-spadtag-for-nationalarenan/ | publisher=Dagens Nyheter | date=2009-12-07 | language=sv | access-date=2009-12-07 | archive-date=2009-12-08 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208233324/http://www.dn.se/sport/fotboll/inledande-spadtag-for-nationalarenan-1.1009627 | url-status=live }}

| built = 2009–2012

| opened = 25 October 2012{{cite news|title=This is Friends Arena |url=http://friendsarena.se/Press/english/ |publisher=friendsarena.se |access-date=9 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330091202/http://friendsarena.se/Press/english/ |archive-date=30 March 2013 }}

| renovated =

| expanded =

| closed =

| demolished =

| owner = Swedish Football Association, Folksam, Solna Municipality, Jernhusen, Peab, Fabege{{cite news | title=Säljer del av Friends Arena | url=http://www.svt.se/sport/fotboll/saljer-del-av-friends-arena | publisher=Sveriges Television | language=sv}}

| operator =

| surface = Natural grass turf

| scoreboard =

| construction_cost = 2.8 billion SEK
(€ 300 million)

| suites = 92

| architect = Arkitekterna Krook & Tjäder, Berg Arkitektkontor, Populous{{cite news | title=Frågor och svar | url=http://friendsarena.se/Kontakt/Fragor-och-svar/#f26 | publisher=friendsarena.se | language=sv | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427212131/http://friendsarena.se/Kontakt/Fragor-och-svar/#f26 | archive-date=2013-04-27 }}

| project_manager =

| structural engineer =

| services engineer =

| general_contractor =

| main_contractors = Peab

| capacity = {{ubl|

{{formatnum: 50000}} (national capacity){{cite web|url=http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/swe/friends_arena |title=Friends Arena – |publisher=Stadiumdb.com |date= |accessdate=2022-08-22}}
{{formatnum: 50653}} (international all-seated capacity) (football)
{{formatnum: 35000}} (scaled-down) (football){{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/General/02/14/49/29/2144929_DOWNLOAD.pdf|title=UEFA Euro 2020 Evaluation Report|accessdate=23 August 2022}}
{{formatnum: 65000}} (concerts)

}}

| record_attendance = {{ubl|

{{formatnum: 60,243}} (Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour, 19 May 2024){{Cite magazine |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Taylor Swift Breaks Friends Arena Audience Record In Sweden |magazine=Pollstar |url=https://news.pollstar.com/2024/05/24/taylor-swift-breaks-friends-arena-audience-record-in-sweden/ |access-date=July 1, 2024 |archive-date=July 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240701174630/https://news.pollstar.com/2024/05/24/taylor-swift-breaks-friends-arena-audience-record-in-sweden/ |url-status=live }}
{{formatnum: 50128}} (AIK–Sundsvall, 4 November 2018){{cite news | title=Ny toppsiffra för AIK – slog publikrekordet på Friends | url=https://www.fotbollskanalen.se/allsvenskan/ny-toppsiffra-for-aik---slog-publikrekordet-pa-friends/ | publisher=fotbollskanalen.se | language=sv}}

}}

| dimensions =

| tenants = Sweden men's national football team (2012–present)
AIK Fotboll (2013–present)
Melodifestivalen final (2013–2020, 2022–present)

}}

Nationalarenan, known as Strawberry Arena since 2024 for sponsorship reasons, is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Stockholm, Sweden. Located next to the lake Råstasjön in Solna, just north of the City Centre, it is the largest stadium in Scandinavia. Since its opening, the venue has served as Sweden's national stadium for men's football, hence the name Nationalarenan.

The main tenants of the stadium are Sweden's men's national football team and Allsvenskan football club AIK; both relocated from their previous home at the Råsunda Stadium. The venue has a total capacity of 65,000 at concerts and 50,000 seated at football matches, but the stadium can be scaled down to provide for smaller events with approximately 20,000 guests. The arena is designed by Danish C.F. Møller Architects.

65,000 at concerts would require a small stage. The record attendance is just over 60,000. The record attendance for football is slightly over 50,000 for a club league match; for these matches, standing spectators are allowed.[https://www.aikfotboll.se/kategorier-matchbiljetter Priser & kategorier herrar]

History

Initially there were plans to build a new national stadium close to the indoor venue Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, but on 1 April 2006 the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) made the decision to build the new stadium in Solna. It was calculated to cost around 1.9 billion kronor (202 million euro) to complete. The estimated cost before construction had begun was 2.3 billion kronor. It replaced Råsunda Stadium, Sweden's former national arena for football. Råsunda was torn down and replaced by some 700 flats and office buildings.

Swedbank acquired the naming rights to the stadium in a 153 million kronor (about 20.5 million euro) deal that would last until 2023. While the arena was originally to be known as Swedbank Arena, Swedbank announced in 2012 that it would donate its naming rights to {{Ill|Friends (foundation)|lt=Friends|sv|Friends (stiftelse)}}, a nonprofit organization against school bullying of which Swedbank is a sponsor. Consequently, the stadium was renamed Friends Arena.

On January 13, 2024, a naming rights sponsorship agreement was reached with the Norwegian hotel company Strawberry. The new name, "Strawberry Arena", took effect on July 12, 2024.{{Cite news |first1=Separam Damon |last1=Dastory| first2=Sanna |last2=Lüning |date=2024-01-13 |title=Friends Arena i Solna blir Strawberry arena |url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/stockholm/friends-arena-i-solna-blir-strawberry-arena |access-date=2024-01-13 |work=SVT Nyheter |language=sv}}

Structure and facilities

The stadium has a retractable roof, enabling events to take place during the winter season and to host indoor entertainment shows. The facade of the arena can be lit up in 17 million different color schemes. For example, the stadium is lit up in blue and yellow when Sweden's national team is playing matches. Nationalarenan is a UEFA Category 4 stadium, and the natural turf pitch measures 105 x 68 metres. In the middle of the stadium roof, a 240 square metres big media cube is placed where the attendance can follow what is happening. In addition, 647 LED-screens are installed throughout the facility to enhance the guest experience.

Events

File:Friends Arena.jpg

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden declared the arena inaugurated at the opening ceremony, which took place in the venue on 27 October 2012. The show, directed by famous Swedish director Colin Nutley, was entitled Svenska ögonblick (Swedish Moments).Popular Swedish artists as Agnes Carlsson, The Hives, Icona Pop, two-times Eurovision Song Contest winner Loreen, First Aid Kit and Roxette performed in front of a crowd of 46,000 people. Furthermore, 1,700,000 TV viewers watched the inauguration show live at SVT1.{{cite web |url=http://friendsarena.se/Evenemang/Invigning-av-Friends-Arena/ |title=Svenska ögonblick – Invigning Friends Arena |publisher=friendsarena.se |language=sv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110195918/http://friendsarena.se/Evenemang/Invigning-av-Friends-Arena/ |archive-date=2012-11-10

}}

Swedish House Mafia made three concerts during their One Last Tour in the arena. A total of approximately 115,000 people visited Nationalarenan during the three sold-out concerts in November 2012.

On 14 November 2012, the stadium hosted its first football game. Zlatan Ibrahimović scored the first goal at Sweden's new national stadium in the 4–2 victory against England. The game was seen by 49,967 people, which until 2017 was the attendance record for a sport event.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/nov/15/zlatan-ibrahimovic-goal-sweden-england

|title= Zlatan Ibrahimovic: I liked the first goal more because it was history|date= 15 November 2012|work=Guardian UK|access-date=15 November 2012 }}

File:Friends Arena March 2013.jpg vs Republic of Ireland, 22 March 2013]]

A new record for Swedish bandy was set at the 2013 Swedish Bandy Championship Final, when Hammarby IF defeated Sandvikens AIK ahead of an audience of 38,474 persons under the closed roof.[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RAuKHhbT13A/maxresdefault.jpg Picture from the 2013 bandy final, with the all time high attendance of 38,474]

AIK played their first competitive football match on April 7, 2013. Visiting team Syrianska FC succeeded to get one point after a goalless game, but the better for AIK, they set a new club record attendance for a home game in Allsvenskan of 43,463.

File:Sandvikens AIK Bandy.jpg players pose before the 2013 Swedish men's national bandy championship final game.]]

On 28 July 2013, the final of the UEFA Women's Euro were played. 41,301 people watched Germany overcome Norway with a score of 1–0. The game set a new attendance record for a Women's Euro fixture. Solna became also the first city in Europe which has hosted all four big football championships (FIFA World Cup, FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA European Championship and UEFA Women's Championship). The arena also hosted Motorcycle speedway as part of the Speedway Grand Prix World Championship series and held the Speedway Grand Prix of Scandinavia from 2013 to 2017. The temporary track at the arena was {{convert|275|m|yd|abbr=off}} in length.

The arena has also hosted the final of Melodifestivalen every year since 2013, with the exception of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the arena also hosted the fourth heat and the semi-final of that year's competition. The stadium was chosen as the venue for the 2017 UEFA Europa League Final.

Concerts

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
colspan=5\|Concerts at Friends Arena
Date	Artist	Event	Attendance	Revenue
22 Noviember 2012 \| rowspan="3" \|Swedish House Mafia \| rowspan="3" \|One Last Tour \| rowspan="3" \|– \| rowspan="3" \|–
23 Noviember 2012
24 November 2012
3 May 2013 \| rowspan="2" \|Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band \| rowspan="2" \|Wrecking Ball World Tour \| rowspan="2" \|169,325 / 169,325The score data is combined from the three shows held at Friends Arena on 3rd, 4th and May 11th \| rowspan="2" \|$17,932,099The score data is combined from the three shows held at Friends Arena on 3rd, 4th and May 11th
4 May 2013
8 May 2013 \|One Direction \|Take Me Home Tour \|29,723 / 29,723 \|$1,783,380
11 May 2013 \|Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band \|Wrecking Ball World Tour \| — \| —
1 June 2013 \|Kiss \|Monster World Tour \|— \|—
13 July 2013 \|Iron Maiden \|Maiden England World Tour \|55,531 / 55,531 \|$5,001,410
22 November 2013 \|Black Sabbath \|Black Sabbath Reunion Tour \|— \|—
13 December 2013 \|Elton John \|The Diving Board Tour \|— \|—
13 June 2014 \| rowspan="2" \|One Direction \| rowspan="2" \|Where We Are Tour \| rowspan="2" \|88,978 / 88,978 \| rowspan="2" \|$7,358,040
14 June 2014
28 June 2014 \|Pearl Jam \|Lightning Bolt Tour \|— \|—
19 July 2015 \|AC/DC \|Rock or Bust World Tour \|— \|—
19 March 2016 \|Simple Minds \|Big Music Tour + Greatest Hits 2016 \| — \| —
3 July 2016 \|Coldplay \|A Head Full of Dreams Tour \|53,575 / 53,575 \|$3,970,140
9 July 2016 \|Black Sabbath \|The End Tour \|— \|—
26 July 2016 \|Beyoncé \|The Formation World Tour \|48,519 / 48,519 \|$3,937,498
5 May 2017 \|Depeche Mode \|Global Spirit Tour \|36,400 / 36,400 \|$2,734,164
8 May 2017 \|Ariana Grande \|Dangerous Woman Tour \|14,106 / 14,106 \|$995,461
29 June 2017 \|Guns N' Roses \|Not in This Lifetime... Tour \|53,654 / 53,654 \|$4,460,555
12 October 2017 \|The Rolling Stones \|No Filter Tour \|53,770 / 53,770 \|$7,880,697
21 November 2017 \|Queen + Adam Lambert \|Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2017–2018 \|— \|—
25 June 2018 \|Beyoncé Jay-Z \|On the Run II Tour \|46,647 / 46,647 \|$4,610,554
2 July 2018 \|Eminem \|Revival Tour \|— \|—
14 July 2018 \|Ed Sheeran \|÷ Tour \|54,234 / 54,234 \|$4,818,972
31 July 2018 \|Justin Timberlake \|The Man of the Woods Tour \|23,303 / 23,303 \|$1,818,015
18 August 2018 \|Roger Waters \|Us + Them Tour \|19,043 / 19,238 \|$1,782,758
12 June 2019 \|Phil Collins \|Not Dead Yet Tour \|— \|—
17 October 2019 \|Cher \|Here We Go Again Tour \|27,025 / 27,025 \|$2,274,898
5 December 2019 \|Avicii Tribute Concert \|Tim Bergling Foundation - Concert for Mental Health Awareness \|58,163 / 58,163 \|—
21 July 2022 \|Lady Gaga \|The Chromatica Ball \|34,934 / 34,934 \|$3,540,732
31 July 2022 \|The Rolling Stones \|Sixty \|50,889 / 50,889 \|$6,916,424
10 May 2023 \| rowspan="2" \|Beyoncé \| rowspan="2" \|Renaissance World Tour \| rowspan="2" \|90,169 / 90,169 \| rowspan="2" \|$9,802,155
11 May 2023
23 May 2023 \|Depeche Mode \|Memento Mori World Tour \|43,876 / 46,816 \|$3,656,147
17 May 2024 \| rowspan="3" \|Taylor Swift \| rowspan="3" \|The Eras Tour \| rowspan="3" \| \| rowspan="3" \|
18 May 2024
19 May 2024
15 July 2024 \| rowspan="2" \|Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band \| rowspan="2" \|Springsteen and E Street Band 2023–2025 Tour \| rowspan="2" \|108,202 / 108,202 \| rowspan="2" \|
18 July 2024
25 July 2024 \| Pink \| Pink Summer Carnival \| \|
4 July 2025 \| Guns N' Roses \| Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things Tour \| \|
22 August 2025 \| rowspan="2" \|Ed Sheeran \| rowspan="2" \|+–=÷× Tour \| rowspan="2" \| \| rowspan="2" \|
23 August 2025
10 July 2026 \| rowspan="2" \|Bad Bunny \| rowspan="2" \|Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour \| rowspan="2" \| \| rowspan="2" \|
11 July 2026

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

colspan=5|Concerts at Friends Arena

Date

Artist

Event

Attendance

Revenue

22 Noviember 2012

| rowspan="3" |Swedish House Mafia

| rowspan="3" |One Last Tour

| rowspan="3" |–

23 Noviember 2012

24 November 2012

3 May 2013

| rowspan="2" |Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

| rowspan="2" |Wrecking Ball World Tour

| rowspan="2" |169,325 / 169,325The score data is combined from the three shows held at Friends Arena on 3rd, 4th and May 11th

| rowspan="2" |$17,932,099The score data is combined from the three shows held at Friends Arena on 3rd, 4th and May 11th

4 May 2013

8 May 2013

|One Direction

|Take Me Home Tour

|29,723 / 29,723

|$1,783,380

11 May 2013

|Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

|Wrecking Ball World Tour

| —

1 June 2013

|Kiss

|Monster World Tour

|—

13 July 2013

|Iron Maiden

|Maiden England World Tour

|55,531 / 55,531

|$5,001,410

22 November 2013

|Black Sabbath

|Black Sabbath Reunion Tour

|—

13 December 2013

|Elton John

|The Diving Board Tour

|—

13 June 2014

| rowspan="2" |One Direction

| rowspan="2" |Where We Are Tour

| rowspan="2" |88,978 / 88,978

| rowspan="2" |$7,358,040

14 June 2014

28 June 2014

|Pearl Jam

|Lightning Bolt Tour

|—

19 July 2015

|AC/DC

|Rock or Bust World Tour

|—

19 March 2016

|Simple Minds

|Big Music Tour + Greatest Hits 2016

| —

3 July 2016

|Coldplay

|A Head Full of Dreams Tour

|53,575 / 53,575

|$3,970,140

9 July 2016

|Black Sabbath

|The End Tour

|—

26 July 2016

|Beyoncé

|The Formation World Tour

|48,519 / 48,519

|$3,937,498

5 May 2017

|Depeche Mode

|Global Spirit Tour

|36,400 / 36,400

|$2,734,164

8 May 2017

|Ariana Grande

|Dangerous Woman Tour

|14,106 / 14,106

|$995,461

29 June 2017

|Guns N' Roses

|Not in This Lifetime... Tour

|53,654 / 53,654

|$4,460,555

12 October 2017

|The Rolling Stones

|No Filter Tour

|53,770 / 53,770

|$7,880,697

21 November 2017

|Queen + Adam Lambert

|Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2017–2018

|—

25 June 2018

|Beyoncé Jay-Z

|On the Run II Tour

|46,647 / 46,647

|$4,610,554

2 July 2018

|Eminem

|Revival Tour

|—

14 July 2018

|Ed Sheeran

|÷ Tour

|54,234 / 54,234

|$4,818,972

31 July 2018

|Justin Timberlake

|The Man of the Woods Tour

|23,303 / 23,303

|$1,818,015

18 August 2018

|Roger Waters

|Us + Them Tour

|19,043 / 19,238

|$1,782,758

12 June 2019

|Phil Collins

|Not Dead Yet Tour

|—

17 October 2019

|Cher

|Here We Go Again Tour

|27,025 / 27,025

|$2,274,898

5 December 2019

|Avicii Tribute Concert

|Tim Bergling Foundation - Concert for Mental Health Awareness

|58,163 / 58,163

|—

21 July 2022

|Lady Gaga

|The Chromatica Ball

|34,934 / 34,934

|$3,540,732

31 July 2022

|The Rolling Stones

|Sixty

|50,889 / 50,889

|$6,916,424

10 May 2023

| rowspan="2" |Beyoncé

| rowspan="2" |Renaissance World Tour

| rowspan="2" |90,169 / 90,169

| rowspan="2" |$9,802,155

11 May 2023

23 May 2023

|Depeche Mode

|Memento Mori World Tour

|43,876 / 46,816

|$3,656,147

17 May 2024

| rowspan="3" |Taylor Swift

| rowspan="3" |The Eras Tour

| rowspan="3" |

18 May 2024

19 May 2024

15 July 2024

| rowspan="2" |Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band

| rowspan="2" |Springsteen and E Street Band 2023–2025 Tour

| rowspan="2" |108,202 / 108,202

| rowspan="2" |

18 July 2024

25 July 2024

| Pink

| Pink Summer Carnival

4 July 2025

| Guns N' Roses

| Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things Tour

22 August 2025

| rowspan="2" |Ed Sheeran

| rowspan="2" |+–=÷× Tour

| rowspan="2" |

23 August 2025

10 July 2026

| rowspan="2" |Bad Bunny

| rowspan="2" |Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour

| rowspan="2" |

11 July 2026

Points of interest

File:Friends Arena from inside.jpg

The stadium is located a 700-metre (800 yards) walk from the Solna commuter train station, where the Tvärbanan tramway and local buses are also available (a slightly longer walk away). Slightly further away (1.4 km, 0.9 mi) the Näckrosen metro station is found. The 18th meridian east runs through Nationalarenan. By 2028 there will be another metro station, Arenastaden metro station 800m away. There are two boards informing that the eighteenth meridian has passed through this point, at the entrance B and F.{{cite web|url=https://www.google.be/maps/place/59%C2%B022'21.0%22N+18%C2%B000'00.0%22E/@59.3724983,17.9824905,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0|title=Google Maps}}

File:Południk 18 w Sztokholmie.jpg

The arena, located about six km (3,7 miles) from Stockholm Central Station, has parking for 300 charter buses and 4,000 cars. Along with the stadium, there will also be built a number of hotels with a total of approximately 400 rooms, restaurants for 8,000 guests, office areas for 10,000 employees, conference/exhibition centres and 2,000 flats. Moreover, a shopping mall, Mall of Scandinavia, with 240 shops and a multi screen cinema, opened near the stadium in 2015. The mall is the biggest shopping centre in Sweden.

File:FriendsArena SwedenSpain.jpg

The total project was calculated to cost more than 4 billion SEK.[http://www.arenastaden.se/ Arenastaden.se] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230064157/http://www.arenastaden.se/ |date=December 30, 2008 }}

Football average attendances

rowspan=2 \| Season !colspan=4 style="color:#005B99;background:#FFF01C"\| Sweden national team ! rowspan="4" style="width:2px;;"\| ! colspan="4" style="color:yellow; background:#000;"\| AIK
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 85%;"
Games ! Season Average ! Highest Gate ! Lowest Gate ! Games ! Season Average ! Highest Gate ! Lowest Gate
2012	1	49,967	49,967 vs England	49,967 vs England
2013	7	41,973	49,766 vs Portugal	13,438 vs Norway	15	18,900	43,466 vs Syrianska FC	9,388 vs Östers IF
2014	4	27,926	49,023 vs Russia	15,421 vs Estonia		15	16,446	30,650 vs IFK Göteborg	11,408 vs Falkenbergs FF
2015	5	34,925	49,053 vs Denmark	25,351 vs Montenegro		15	20,983	43,713 vs IFK Göteborg	10,701 vs Falkenbergs FF
2016	4	28,581	37,942 vs Wales	18,475 vs Czech Republic		15	16,431	30,843 vs Hammarby IF	8,507 vs BK Häcken
2017	4	44,810	50,022 vs Luxembourg	31,243 vs Belarus		15	17,807	33,157 vs Djurgårdens IF	10,342 vs Halmstads BK
2018	5	28,325	48,134 vs Chile	9,876 vs Slovakia		15	23,671	50,128 vs GIF Sundsvall
2019	5	32,863	48,134 vs Spain	19,737 vs Slovakia		15	18,970	45,367 vs Djurgårdens IF
2020	3	0				15	0
2021	8	15,238	47,314 vs Greece	500 vs Armenia		15	12,364	42,539 vs Djurgårdens IF
2022	4	34,492	48,628 vs Czech Republic	22,895 vs Slovenia		15	25,275	45,117 vs Hammarby IF
2023	6	26,337	49,296 vs Belgium	10,097 vs Moldova		15	25,739	41,3279 vs Djurgårdens IF
2024	5	25,250	46,956 vs Serbia	10,127 vs Azerbaijan		15	28,589	47,129 vs Hammarby IF