Soccer season kick-off: how opening weekend moved Germany

What HERE traffic data reveals about congestion around 18 soccer stadiums

The Bundesliga is one of the world’s most-watched leagues, drawing millions of fans each week. With 18 iconic venues, matchdays can reshape the flow of entire cities. As the 2025/26 season kicks off, what does the return of packed stadiums mean for traffic and mobility across the country?

Using data from HERE Real-Time Traffic, we built a mobility dashboard that shows how the opening weekend shaped Germany’s roads. HERE Real-Time Traffic is a comprehensive, global traffic service that helps drivers reach their destinations efficiently and stress-free with up-to-the-minute information about traffic flow, incidents and road works.

Our dashboard updates every five minutes, 24 hours a day, and shows traffic within a 2-kilometer radius around each of the 18 Bundesliga stadiums. Check back regularly to see how congestion evolves throughout the season.

Kick-off!

On Friday, August 22, FC Bayern Munich opened the 63rd Bundesliga season. The first full matchday followed on Saturday, with six fixtures. Highlights from the data:

FC St. Pauli vs Borussia Dortmund (Millerntor-Stadion):
Traffic around the stadium was a little busier before the 6:30 pm local kick-off, but with a congestion score below 3.0, conditions still reflected free-flowing traffic.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Werder Bremen (Deutsche Bank Park):
You can see a slight uptick around kick-off and the final whistle, with a notably calm period mid-match (traffic scores dipping below 1.0 at times). Post-match congestion was 110%.
higher than four weeks before the league started.
1. FC Heidenheim vs VfL Wolfsburg (Voith-Arena):
Kick-off was at 3:30 pm, but traffic intensified mainly after full-time. Even then, congestion remained below 4.0.

Bottom line: Opening-weekend traffic was well managed, with low impact on local roads. However, clubs and city authorities encourage train use to and from stadiums to reduce car traffic. Stadium location also matters: some venues sit close to city centers—like Millerntor-Stadion, where baseline traffic is denser—while others, like Bayern Munich’s arena, are outside the core and see different patterns.

Come back to the dashboard throughout the season, and let’s see what future weekends have in store.