The appointment of internationally renowned architecture firm Populous as lead designer marks the next milestone in the development of Frankfurt’s P9 Multi-Purpose Arena. Sportpark Stadion Frankfurt Gesellschaft für Projektentwicklungen mbH (SSF) is advancing plans for the P9 Multi-Purpose Arena. 

Following a Europe-wide procurement process, Populous Deutschland has been appointed to provide lead design services for the project. The globally recognised architecture practice secured the contract with a joint proposal alongside Buro Happold and Drees & Sommer, marking the beginning of the next phase in the development of the planned arena at Frankfurt’s stadium campus.

“Frankfurt is an international city for sport and live entertainment. The P9 Multi-Purpose Arena will reinforce this position and strengthen our city as a destination for major events in the long term. With Populous, we have gained a partner with extensive global experience in designing world-class arenas, and we look forward to benefiting from that expertise throughout this project,” said Mike Josef, Mayor of Frankfurt.

Europe-wide procurement process attracts strong international interest

The Europe-wide tender process for the lead design contract was launched in February 2026. Following publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and the Hessian public procurement database, a total of 180 companies expressed interest in the project, including numerous leading planning and design firms from Germany and abroad.

In accordance with German public procurement regulations, five qualified bidders were shortlisted based on their indicative proposals and invited to submit detailed tenders. With the appointment of Populous, the procurement process has now been successfully completed.

Comprehensive planning services

The lead design appointment includes architectural planning, structural engineering and building services engineering for the arena. In addition, Populous will further develop the feasibility study completed in 2024 and address key planning, regulatory and building code matters. The detailed architectural design and façade of the arena are not part of the current scope of work and will be developed during subsequent stages of the project.

“Our ambition is to deliver an arena that performs exceptionally throughout its operational life. Achieving this requires a planning approach that prioritises quality, functionality and efficiency from the very beginning. Populous brings outstanding international arena expertise, and we are confident this experience will be a major asset in the successful delivery of the project,” said Moritz Schneider,  Managing Director of SSF.

“We are proud to have been appointed to provide lead design services for the exciting P-9 Arena Project in Frankfurt. This will be a state-of the-art, multi-purpose venue that will bring the best of sport and entertainment to the city. We look forward to bringing our global design expertise to create a worldclass sustainable venue that enhances the fan and user experience for every single visitor.,” comments Declan Sharkey, Global Director and Senior Principal at Populous.

Looking ahead to the next project phase

Working closely with SSF, the project management team and the specialist consultants, the design team will now begin the next stage of planning, developing the conceptual and technical foundations for the multi-purpose arena in line with HOAI Service Phases 1 and 2. This work will form the basis of a functional performance specification, which from autumn 2027 will underpin the procurement process for the project’s design-and-build contract, under which a single contractor will be responsible for both the design and construction of the arena.