
Germany’s largest football stadium with new Zumtobel led floodlight solution is ready for international tournaments.
The Zumtobel Group recently equipped the legendary stadium of Borussia Dortmund (BVB), the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, with a highly modern LED floodlight system. The new lighting solution from the Group’s Thorn brand was recently operated for the first time and fulfils all of the requirements for the German Bundesliga as well as for the upcoming UEFA EURO 2024, for which the stadium in Dortmund has been selected as one of 10 venues. Borussia Dortmund benefited from the Zumtobel Group’s turnkey service – an all-inclusive package ranging from lighting planning and project management during implementation to commissioning.
„We installed a turnkey lighting solution that meets the highest international standards. The new LED floodlights with modern lighting technology offer the best lighting quality. Their brilliant colour reproduction as well as their flicker-free operation are especially needed for super-slow-motion HDTV-broadcast”, says Stefan Thiel, Business Development Manager, Zumtobel Group.
With a capacity of more than 81,000 spectators, the Signal Iduna Park is the largest football stadium in Germany. It is an iconic venue, lauded by fans around the world for its famous Yellow Wall and exhilarating atmosphere. The Zumtobel Group’s brand Thorn has a long and successful track record as a trusted global supplier of professional as well as recreational sports lighting solutions, both for indoor and outdoor facilities. It has extensive experience in designing tailored illumination systems for special sports applications, including field of play lighting, using solutions that optimally combine aesthetics, optical performance, energy consumption, durability and easy maintenance.
New floodlight system
The new floodlight system is the latest in a series of lighting projects that the lighting group has already realised for the BVB: The Zumtobel brand already implemented the LED shop concept for the new «BVB FanWorld» in 2014, as well as other fan shops of the club. In 2017, Zumtobel redesigned the Signal Iduna Park’s lighting in the main grandstand and the VIP entrance area west as well as the training centre Dortmund-Brackel. As of now, the Zumtobel Group has completely redesigned the entire interior lighting experience of the stadium, also adding the LED floodlight system.
The replacement of the stadium’s previous floodlight installation called for a lighting design that, first and foremost, achieved the illuminance level requirements stipulated by the German Bundesliga and the UEFA. The new solution includes 252 Thorn ALTIS LED floodlights that ensure flicker-free operation to support HDTV-broadcasting and super-slow-motion with their superior colour rendering. The lighting concept as a whole guarantees excellent illumination and uniformity of light.

BVB Dortmund, Zumtobel. Photography by Faruk Pinjo, 2019
Sustainability and efficiency for Borussia Dortmund’s Stadium
«With the new highly modern floodlight, we have sustainably invested in the basic technical equipment of the stadium. For the implementation, we chose our long-standing partner, the Zumtobel Group,» says Dr. Christian Hockenjos, Borussia Dortmund’s Director Organisation, and continues: «With 2100 lux in the direction of the cameras, we now clearly exceed the DFL minimum requirements and already meet the UEFA requirements for the EURO 2024.”
Implementing the Zumtobel Group’s turnkey service offer, the club could be sure that all project tasks would be carried out efficiently, cost-effectively and on time – by one contractor. Beginning with an initial analysis of the existing installation and facility, Zumtobel Group experts developed a tailored design concept. Following approval, they drew up a detailed lighting concept and full implementation plan, coordinated project deliverables with partners throughout the installation and made sure that the new lighting system was fully operational in accordance with the requirements.
All 252 floodlights are connected to a common IP-based control system via the DMX interface of their control gear. The basis for immediate controllability and dynamic lighting effects in real time is a fibre optic network specially installed for this purpose.