Buy Mainz 05 vs FC Koln tickets for the 2026/27 Season, with the match listed for Saturday 19 December 2026 at 16:30. This is Matchday 14 of the Bundesliga at the MEWA ARENA, the ground many listings still carry under its former name of Opel Arena and it is the last home fixture in Mainz before the winter break.
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The arena has hosted this fixture 11 times since it opened in 2011 and Mainz 05 have lost only three of those. With 33,305 places, including 13,805 on the terraces, it is a mid-sized ground that fills quickly when a club with travelling support like Koln's comes to town.
This guide covers resale prices, where to sit, how entry works at the arena and what the record says about this fixture at the current ground. Everything here is built to help you choose the right seat and complete your purchase with confidence.
Timing does a lot of the work. A mid-December Saturday is the final home fixture before the Bundesliga pauses for the winter, which makes it the game local supporters treat as the end of the first half of the season rather than just another matchday.
FC Koln bring one of the largest travelling followings in German football. The drive along the Rhine is under two hours, the club's away allocation here is filled long before matchday and plenty of Koln supporters end up looking for seats in neutral areas of the ground.
Mainz have also made themselves a difficult team to face at home over the past decade, which has raised the profile of matchdays here. Supporters from across the Rhine-Main area treat the arena as their local top-flight ground and a fixture against another Rhineland club brings out people who might otherwise skip a December afternoon.
Both cities share a carnival culture that shapes the atmosphere. Mainz and Koln are the two great Fastnacht strongholds in Germany, the season starts in November and a December fixture between them carries a particular flavour that neutrals travel to experience.
Capacity is the constraint. At 33,305 the arena is comfortably below the largest grounds in the division, the terraces account for more than a third of that and Mainz season ticket holders take most of the rest before public sale begins.
Koln's own season adds to the pull. The club returned to the Bundesliga after a year in the second tier and their supporters have treated every away trip since promotion as a fixture to be at rather than watched on television.
The record adds local confidence. Mainz have won five and drawn three of the 11 Bundesliga meetings at this ground, scoring 19 goals to Koln's eight, so the home crowd arrives expecting a result.
Yes, though club routes favour regulars. Mainz sell season tickets first and release single-match tickets in phases, with members and registered supporters served before the general public. For a fixture like this, what reaches open sale is limited.
The terraces complicate things further. Standing places are the lowest-priced tickets in the ground, which makes them the first to disappear and they are unreserved, so buying one means arriving early to claim a good position.
Koln's allocation is sold through the Rhineland club to its own members and the away area at the MEWA ARENA covers blocks H and I for seating with block J for standing. Supporters without access to that allocation need another way in.
Language and payment cause problems too. German club systems run mainly in German, ask for local details at the payment step and can reject foreign cards, which stops many visitors at the last stage of a purchase.
A verified secondary marketplace is the practical alternative. You choose your area, see the full price before paying and receive the ticket by the method shown on the listing. No membership, season ticket or sale window is needed.
Block conditions are worth reading closely. Parts of the ground carry rules on who can sit where, standing areas are sold differently from seats and the away blocks are ring-fenced entirely, so the seat you end up with shapes how the afternoon works rather than just what you pay for it.
Timing is the other reason buyers look beyond club channels. Single-match sales for a December fixture open only weeks ahead, long after trains and hotel rooms in the Rhine-Main region have been booked.
Five factors set the price of seats for this match: where you sit, overall demand, how close the purchase is to kick-off, what the Bundesliga table looks like by mid-December and whether you choose hospitality. German face values are low by European standards, so resale here reflects scarcity rather than expensive tickets at source.
| Ticket Type | Resale Price Range | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrace and upper corners | £45 – £75 | Budget-conscious fans | Standing places are unreserved, so arrive early for a good spot |
| Longside standard seating | £70 – £120 | First-time visitors | Side views with the full pitch in sight |
| Lower central seating | £100 – £160+ | Fans who want to be close to the pitch | Limited stock; central blocks move first |
| Main stand premium | £140 – £240+ | Couples and small groups | Covered central seats with the easiest concourse access |
| Hospitality / VIP | £280 – £550+ | Corporate guests and celebrations | Catering and lounge access depending on the package |
Prices reflect typical resale ranges and may change as demand and availability shift closer to the match.
Standing and seated tickets behave differently on resale. Terrace places start from very low face values, so the percentage increase can look steep even when the cash amount stays modest, while seated blocks move in smaller proportional steps from a higher base.
Group size is the practical constraint. Four or more seats together in the covered central blocks are the hardest listings to find, so expect to pay towards the top of the range. Pairs and single places give you far more choice.
The opponent shapes the range as well. Visits from Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund lift Mainz prices to the top of the scale, while a fixture against Koln sits in a middle band, high enough to reflect real demand but far short of the headline dates.
Compare listings on the total rather than the headline figure. Seat position and delivery method both affect the final amount and the full price is shown before you confirm, so a quick look at two or three similar seats often reveals the stronger deal.
The arena opened in July 2011 as a compact, fully covered bowl on the edge of the city, replacing the old ground at the Bruchweg. Of the 33,305 places, 19,500 are seats and 13,805 are standing, which gives the ground a noise level closer to the bigger Bundesliga venues than its size suggests. The MEWA ARENA seating plan shows every block before you commit.
If you want to see what else is on at the ground, you can browse matches at the MEWA ARENA in one place.
| Area | What It Suits | Pricing Bracket | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home terrace | Committed Mainz fans who want to stand and sing | Lower | Unreserved places; arrive early for a spot on a barrier |
| Main stand, central blocks | Premium buyers and hospitality guests | Upper to premium | Covered central seating with the club's business areas |
| Opposite side seating | Neutrals and first-time visitors | Mid | Clear longside view; wear neutral clothing |
| Upper corners | Value seekers and families | Lower to mid | Wide angle on the pitch at a lower price |
| Away area, blocks H, I and J | FC Koln supporters | Away pricing | Seating in H and I, standing in J, with entry through the north east gate |
| Wheelchair positions, block K | Supporters with access needs | Varies | Accessible places are available to home and visiting fans |
Neutral buyers and undecided fans should avoid the home terrace and the away blocks. A seat on the side of the ground gives you the noise without sitting inside either support, which matters at a fixture with this much travelling interest.
Standing is worth understanding if it is new to you. German terraces are unreserved, supporters gather in the same spots each week and the singing runs continuously rather than reacting to the game, so arrive at least an hour early if you want a rail position.
Every place is covered, which matters for a December kick-off in the Rhine valley. The bowl is enclosed, the wind is kept out and the roof keeps the noise inside, though the concourses can be cold before the ground fills.
Families and first-time visitors have a clear route. The side seating and the upper corners are calmer than the terrace, the bowl is compact enough that no seat feels remote and the concourses are wide, which makes moving around at half-time straightforward even when the ground is full.
Accessible places are handled properly here. Block K carries wheelchair positions that are available to home and visiting supporters and anyone with access needs should arrange places in advance rather than turning up on the day.
Colours rules follow the German norm. Wear Mainz red and white or neutral clothing in home areas and keep Koln colours for the away blocks, since anyone in visiting attire is directed to the north east gate rather than the home entrances.
Hospitality at the MEWA ARENA sits in the main stand, with business seating and boxes built into the design when the ground opened. It is a mid-sized offer that suits corporate guests from the Rhine-Main region rather than large-scale entertaining.
| Hospitality Option | Typical Buyer | Main Appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Business seat with lounge | Solo guests and couples | Covered central seat plus catering before and after the match |
| Premium dining package | Small groups marking an occasion | Seated meal with regional food and Rhine wines |
| Private box | Companies and larger parties | Dedicated space with catering and a direct view of the pitch |
| Matchday package | Visitors building a Rhine trip | One booking covering seats, hospitality and extras |
The regional angle is genuine here. Mainz sits at the centre of one of Germany's best known wine areas and hospitality at the ground leans on that in a way few clubs can match.
Ask what each package includes before booking. At a club of this size the difference between a business seat with a buffet and a full dining package is significant and both sit under the same hospitality heading.
Premium places are limited, so book early if a lounge matters to you. The final fixture before the winter break attracts corporate bookings from across the region.
Hospitality also removes the scramble for food. The arena sits away from the city centre, so options around the ground are limited compared with a stadium in the middle of town and a package with catering saves planning around that.
Bundesliga tickets are usually issued digitally, so your listing will state whether the seat arrives as a mobile ticket, a print-at-home file or a transfer to an account.
| Delivery Type | What to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Mobile ticket | The phone number, email or account that will receive the ticket |
| E-ticket (PDF) | That you can open or print the file before travelling |
| Account transfer | The account details required and when the transfer will be completed |
| Hospitality e-ticket | Arrival time, entrance and any guest names required |
Read the listing notes before you buy, especially whether the place is seated or standing. Bring a passport or identity card, charge your phone fully for mobile entry and keep bags small, since anything larger than 30 by 30 by 15 centimetres has to be left at the free drop-off point.
Arrive early rather than cutting it fine. Bag drop-off, security searches and the walk from the tram all take time on a full matchday and terrace places are unreserved, so the good positions go to those who come first.
Payment inside the away area is cashless, with cards and phone wallets accepted but no cash taken, so plan accordingly. The stadium opens two hours before kick-off. The away ticket office opens at the same time, which is worth using on a cold December afternoon.
Getting there is simple. Tram lines 51 and 53 stop at Jakob-Heinz-Strasse by the arena, a shuttle bus runs from the main station to the Kisselberg stop around ten minutes' walk away and visiting coaches use the P9 parking area beside the guest blocks.
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Step1
Find the fixture
Open the listing for Mainz against Koln on Saturday 19 December 2026 and review the available blocks.
Step2
Set up your account
Create an account with your name, email address and phone number so order updates reach you quickly.
Step3
Choose your area
Use the block guide above to decide between the terrace, the side seating, the main stand or hospitality.
Step4
Select quantity
Pick how many places you need and filter for listings that keep your group together.
Step5
Read the listing notes
Review the delivery method, whether the place is seated or standing and any colours rules.
Step6
Pay securely
Complete payment through the encrypted payment step, where the full price is shown before you confirm.
Step7
Receive confirmation
An order confirmation arrives by email with your reference number and expected delivery window.
Step8
Follow your order
Use track order at any time to see when your tickets are on their way.
Mainz is one of the easiest German grounds to reach from abroad. Frankfurt Airport is about 20 minutes away by train, the city sits on the main rail lines along the Rhine and the arena is a tram ride from the centre. Digital delivery means overseas buyers need no German postal address and groups should state that they want places together before paying.
Build the trip around the region if you can. Mainz has a compact old town, Christmas markets running through December and the Rhine gorge within easy reach, which makes this an easy weekend rather than a single-match trip. If you want to add another game, you can browse football tickets across Europe for the same weekend.
Mainz have made this ground difficult for Koln since the day it opened. The first Bundesliga meeting here, in April 2012, finished 4-0 and across 11 matches at the arena the hosts have won five, drawn three and lost three while scoring 19 goals to eight.
The heaviest result came in October 2022, a 5-0 home win that remains the widest margin between the clubs at this stadium. Before that, Mainz had built a run of tight wins: 2-0 in May 2015, 1-0 in November 2017 and 3-1 in October 2019, all achieved without conceding more than once.
Koln have had their moments too. They won 3-2 here in April 2016, took a 1-0 in December 2020 and opened the 2025/26 season with another 1-0 in August 2025, which is the most recent meeting at the ground. The return game on the Rhine comes later in the season and you can find seats for FC Koln vs Mainz 05 in April 2027.
What makes the fixture worth the ticket is the pattern of scorelines. Four of the 11 meetings here were settled by a single goal and three more finished level, yet the series also contains a 4-0 and a 5-0, so buyers are not choosing between a tight game and an open one but taking a chance on either.
The move to this ground changed the fixture. Before 2011 Mainz played at the Bruchweg, a tight old stadium of around 20,000 and the switch to a modern bowl with a bigger terrace gave the club a louder, larger home that visiting sides notice. Everything in the record on this page belongs to that newer era, which is why the totals start in 2012.
The clubs have also swapped places more than once. Koln spent 2024/25 in the second tier before returning, while Mainz have held their Bundesliga place throughout the life of this stadium, which gives the fixture a slightly different balance each time it returns.
For a buyer, the run of results is the argument for going. Mainz have made this a ground where visitors rarely find it easy, Koln have won here often enough to travel with belief and the most recent meeting at the arena went the visitors' way, which makes December's game harder to call than the overall record suggests. Neither side has won two in a row here since 2019.
The figures below cover every Bundesliga meeting at the current stadium with Mainz as hosts, from its opening in 2011 to the 2025/26 season. Meetings at the club's former ground at the Bruchweg, cup ties and second-tier games are all excluded, so every figure reflects a league game at the current stadium.
| Metric | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches played | 11 |
| Mainz 05 wins | 5 |
| FC Koln wins | 3 |
| Draws | 3 |
| Mainz 05 goals | 19 |
| FC Koln goals | 8 |
| Biggest Mainz 05 win | 5-0 (21 Oct 2022) |
| Biggest FC Koln win | 3-2 (17 Apr 2016) |
| First Bundesliga meeting at this ground | 10 Apr 2012 |
| Most recent meeting at this ground | 24 Aug 2025 |
Source: Bundesliga records cross-referenced across StatMuse, the openfootball results archive and the historical results archive compiled by James Curley.
Scores are shown with Mainz 05 first, newest meeting at the top, covering all 11 Bundesliga matches played at the current stadium.
| Date | Score |
|---|---|
| 24 Aug 2025 | 0-1 |
| 28 Apr 2024 | 1-1 |
| 21 Oct 2022 | 5-0 |
| 21 Nov 2021 | 1-1 |
| 12 Dec 2020 | 0-1 |
| 25 Oct 2019 | 3-1 |
| 18 Nov 2017 | 1-0 |
| 22 Jan 2017 | 0-0 |
| 17 Apr 2016 | 2-3 |
| 16 May 2015 | 2-0 |
| 10 Apr 2012 | 4-0 |
Source: StatMuse, the historical results archive compiled by James Curley and the openfootball results archive. Every result confirmed by at least two independent records.
One last practical note for visitors. The winter break follows this fixture, so the ground will be quiet until the new year and anyone building a German football trip around the December weekend should treat this as the last chance to see a Bundesliga match in Mainz until late January.
Yes, the stadium has carried several sponsor names since it opened in 2011, so older listings show Opel Arena for the same venue.
Visiting supporters use blocks H and I for seating and block J for standing, entering through the north east gate.
Yes, 13,805 of the 33,305 places are standing and terrace tickets are unreserved.
Not in the guest area, where payment is by card or phone wallet only, so bring one with you.
Take tram line 51 or 53 to the Jakob-Heinz-Strasse stop, or the matchday shuttle bus from the main station to Kisselberg.
Sources: 1. FSV Mainz 05 official visiting supporters information and service centre capacity data, published Bundesliga stadium records, StatMuse and the openfootball results archive.