Germany: Football federation to build training centre at Frankfurt racecourse

The DFB (German football association) will build a training and education centre for all national teams, on the grounds of the former Frankfurt am Main racecourse, the German press announced on 18/03/2014. "All the conversations we had, and all the signals sent by the leaders of the DFB leave no room for doubt, Frankfurt has been selected," said Olaf Cunitz, mayor of the city on the same day.

The long lease between the City of Frankfurt and the DFB should be signed on 21/03/2014, indicated the German news agency, SID. The future training and education centre, whose construction cost is estimated between €20m and €40m, will include sports facilities, a golf course, a fitness centre, a gym, a media centre, as well as a building containing conference facilities. The complex will be devoted to all German national teams, their staff, and the training of professional coaches and high-level referees.

The schedule has not yet been announced, but construction could start in early 2016, as the lease of the company operating the Frankfurt racetrack expires on 31/12/2015. Of the 45 hectares of…