The Allianz Arena in Munich by Herzog & de Meuron will be the centre of the global attention today when it plays host to the inaugural match of the 2006 World Cup between Germany and Costa Rica.

Built at a cost of £234m to a strict timetable of just 30 months, the 66,000-seater stadium is covered in ETFE sheeting that is translucent around the sides and transparent on the roof. Its futuristic look also comes from hundreds of inflatable cushions of Covertex, a high-tech polymer. It reflects light, and at night the stadium is lit up successively in red, white and blue to represent the owning clubs' colours.


The Allianz Arena in Munich by Herzog & de Meuron will be the centre of the global attention today when it plays host to the inaugural match of the 2006 World Cup between Germany and Costa Rica.