Inauguration
The arena was inaugurated on October 27, 2012 in the presence of the Crown Princess couple, the Prime Minister and 50,000 premiere-happy guests. The show “Svenska Ögonblick” was broadcast live on SVT and had over 1,700,000 viewers.
Strawberry Arena is Sweden’s national arena and one of the most modern multi-arenas in the world. With uninterrupted views from all seats, proximity to the arena floor and the latest in communication technology, you get to experience the greatest moments.
The Arena can manage events on all types of surfaces; grass, gravel, ice and parquet flooring and switch between them at lightning speed. The retractable roof lets us put on concerts and sports events all year round – whatever the weather outside.
Strawberry Arena is the home ground of AIK Fotboll and the Swedish men’s national football team. The Arena complies with UEFA and FIFA regulations for international football and has hosted two major UEFA competitions; the UEFA Europa League Final in 2017 between Ajax and Manchester United and the UEFA Women’s Euro 2013, played in front of a record crowd.
Despite its young age Strawberry Arena has hosted concerts by Beyoncé, Coldplay, Guns N’ Roses, Eminem, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Swedish House Mafia and Taylor Swift.
The arena was inaugurated on October 27, 2012 in the presence of the Crown Princess couple, the Prime Minister and 50,000 premiere-happy guests. The show “Svenska Ögonblick” was broadcast live on SVT and had over 1,700,000 viewers.
Thanks to Swedbank donating its naming rights to the children’s rights organization Friends, the arena was named Friends Arena from 2012 to 2024. Bronze sculptures of “The Children of the Arena” stand at the venue as a tribute to the partnership and as a reminder that no child should be subjected to bullying.
Each side of the media cube that hangs from the roof of the Arena is 65 sq.m and just one of the screens is about the size of an average two-bedroom apartment. It weights in at 64 tonnes.
The retractable roof consists of two sections that measure 3,750 sq. m each and together they are the size of six residential gardens. It takes around 15 minutes to open and close the roof.
Approx. 50 000 people.
Approx. 60 000 people, depending on position and layout of the stage.