photo_cameraMunich Arena
Venues
Construction begins on €400m Munich Arena
Germany`s new 20,000-capacity concert arena near Munich International Airport is scheduled to open in 2029, with approximately 120 events planned annually. Live Nation will play a key role in the project, although the venue will remain open to other promoters and concert organisers.
Construction has officially begun on the Munich Arena, a privately financed concert venue in Freising, near Munich International Airport, following a groundbreaking ceremony on 28 October 2026.
The project, representing an investment of more than €400 million, is being developed by SWMunich Real Estate under the leadership of Lorenz Schmid. Scheduled to open in 2029, the arena will accommodate up to 20,000 visitors and is expected to become Germany`s largest purpose-built concert arena.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder, Freising Mayor Monika Schwind, Lorenz Schmid, Live Nation GSA President Marek Lieberberg and Tom Lynch, President of Live Nation Venues EMEA.
Live Nation partnership and booking arrangements
Live Nation joined the project in May 2025 as a long-term strategic partner, contributing expertise in arena development, venue operations and international concert touring.
The partnership is expected to play an important role in attracting major international tours to the new venue, with Live Nation Germany, headed by Marek Lieberberg, closely involved in the project.
However, the Munich Arena will not operate exclusively for Live Nation concerts. According to the developers, the venue will be available to all artists, promoters and concert organisers.
SWMunich Real Estate will own and operate the arena, providing the venue to promoters and event organisers. The individual promoters will remain responsible for their own concert programming, ticketing and pricing.
Although Live Nation is expected to be a significant programming partner, no exclusive booking arrangement or individual responsible for handling all third-party concert bookings has been publicly confirmed.
The open-access arrangement means independent promoters and competing international concert companies will also be able to stage events at the arena.
Marek Lieberberg, President of Live Nation GSA, said:
“We are building the Munich Arena for those magical moments of energy and connection that only live entertainment can create. Our ambition is clear: when international tours choose their stops in Germany and Europe, Munich should be the first choice.”
Designed for major international tours
The arena has been designed specifically for concerts and live entertainment, rather than adapting a multipurpose sports facility for music events.
Its design includes a 270-degree horseshoe-shaped seating bowl with steeply rising tiers, intended to bring audiences closer to the stage. The building will also feature concert-focused acoustics, improved sightlines, premium hospitality areas and production facilities for large international touring productions.
London-based architecture firm Populous developed the design, while Munich-based HENN is responsible for detailed planning and delivery. Live Nation`s in-house design team, Blueprint Studio, is also involved.
The development will include a hotel, parking facilities and public spaces surrounding the arena, creating a larger entertainment destination close to Munich Airport.
Expected economic impact
The arena is targeting approximately 120 events annually, with expectations of attracting around 1.5 million visitors per year.
According to an economic impact assessment by Deloitte, the project could generate approximately €355 million in annual gross value added for Munich and the surrounding region once operational.
Its airport location is intended to support international touring logistics and attract audiences from Bavaria and neighbouring markets, including Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy.
The arena could also become part of Munich`s plans to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044. If the city is selected, the venue could be temporarily converted to accommodate swimming and para-swimming competitions.
The project follows several years of planning and local debate over its potential impact on traffic, land use and existing cultural venues. With planning approvals secured, construction is now underway ahead of the scheduled 2029 opening.