Germany’s stadiums are as modern and fancy as you could want, with lots of bells and whistles alongside their great atmospheres. But two of them have incredible histories, too.

Six games will be played at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. They include the July 14 final, a July 6 quarterfinal, and a big-time group game between Spain and Croatia on Saturday (noon, Fox, ViX).

First built for the 1936 Olympics, it was the place where Black American sprinting legend Jesse Owens won four gold medals with Adolf Hitler in the stands. It also hosted games at the 1974 men’s World Cup, and always hosts the German Cup final.

It got a huge modernization to host the 2006 men’s World Cup, including the final, and in 2011 it hosted the opening game of the women’s World Cup. But many historic touches are still there, especially on the outside walls.

The other can’t-miss stadium is Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park. You’ll hear it called by its old name, the Westfalenstadion, during the Euros, because stadium sponsors’ names aren’t used during tournaments. (That will be the case in the U.S. during the 2026 World Cup, too.)

Borussia Dortmund, the club that plays there, has long had some of the best attendances and atmospheres anywhere in the world. You can be sure it will be raucous this summer too, with games including France-Poland on June 25, a round-of-16 game that could have Germany on June 29 and a semifinal on July 10.

8. Germany’s players, too

It’s been a while since Germany was a real title contender, but this year’s Mannschaft has two big-time young stars: 21-year-old midfield playmakers Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.

If they can combine with forwards Kai Havertz and Niclas Fullkrüg to create goals, the home team will have a good chance at a deep run.

7. Georgia on our mind

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