Borussia Dortmund have reportedly been told to make significant alterations to their iconic Yellow Wall after UEFA approved safe standing areas from 2026-27 onwards.
The Germans boast the largest terrace for standing spectators in European football with Signal Iduna Park’s south stand holding just shy of 25,000 fans, breeding an intense atmosphere unmatched in the game.
But according to BILD, new safety guidelines issued for next season present Dortmund with a problem.
UEFA, in allowing clubs from all 55 national associations to implement safe standing, have released new guidelines that Dortmund’s Yellow Wall falls short of.
The governing body requires continuous wave breakers, essentially metal barriers on the steps, in every row to stop fans from being pushed forward uncontrollably.
As a result, Dortmund needs to refit their barriers because the backrests of the variable seats serve as barriers at present.
Borussia Dortmund will have to make alterations to the Yellow Wall to comply with safety rules
The standing room also has to be altered because Dortmund fails to hit the UEFA requirement of a maximum of 4.7 fans per square metre, even though building regulations in Germany permit five.
Dortmund’s organisational director Christian Hockenjos will attend a UEFA meeting next Thursday to make his case for the German club, with furious president Hans-Joachim Watzke hitting out at the ‘nonsense’ new guidelines.
‘This is nonsense and pure bureaucracy,’ he said via BILD.
‘Our stadium is approved for Bundesliga matches against Bayern or Leverkusen. Why shouldn’t it be suitable for Champions League games against the same or other opponents? Especially since nothing has ever happened in all these years.’
Hockenjos added: ‘I would like us to find an agreement with UEFA that follows national law.’
