Feyenoord take control of De Kuip ahead of major investment programme

Feyenoord have completed a deal to take effective ownership of De Kuip, ending the long-standing separation between the club and the company that owns and operates the stadium.The club will acquire a 95% stake in Stadion Feijenoord through the issue of 80,635 new shares, subject to approval from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets.Lilian de Leeuw, director of Stadion Feijenoord, stated: “We are here to stay. We have said it before regarding our long-term plans for De Kuip, but this is an important first step in that process.“Thanks to the cooperation of the stadium shareholders, we can now take the necessary next steps needed to eventually achieve a renewed Kuip that aligns with the wishes of the club and its supporters.”Feyenoord will pay close to €3.7m for the shares and commit between €3m and €5m annually to stadium investment over the next decade.That commitment is capped at €41.5m and sits alongside the club’s regular annual rent of approximately €5m.The agreement brings stadium governance under Feyenoord’s control and gives the club greater influence over investment priorities, commercial development and the long-term matchday offer.De Leeuw commented: “Following the unification of the club and the stadium, the agreement is that the club will invest no less than €41m extra over the coming years in overdue maintenance and improvements in atmosphere, comfort, and commercial opportunities. It is also an important step in aligning with the area development in the Stadiondriehoek.”Immediate work will focus on overdue maintenance and smaller improvements that can be delivered by 2028.A separate planning process will examine a wider renovation of De Kuip, with the long-term programme expected to run until 2040.De Leeuw added: “This process, in combination with the development of the entire area surrounding the stadium, has already started. We can continue with this after this step, so that we will soon know exactly what the renovated stadium needs to meet and how this connects to our surroundings.“That will be the first phase, after which we can then proceed with the actual development.”De Kuip opened in 1937 and has faced financial and operational pressure since Feyenoord abandoned plans for a new 63,000-seat stadium in 2022.That project had formed part of the wider Feyenoord City development, which combined a new venue with housing and regeneration around the existing stadium district.The new structure will also create a single supervisory board for the combined club and stadium organisation.De Leeuw stated: “There will be one supervisory board for the combined organisation. This will make the collaboration between the club and the stadium even better. We are becoming one. Finally.”