ÖFB Campus, Seestadt Aspern

Always on the Ball
HERZ at the New ÖFB Campus

The Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) is opening a new chapter: with the construction of the ÖFB Campus in Seestadt Aspern, Austrian football now has its first central training and administrative center. The recently completed facility offers short distances, modern infrastructure, and optimal training conditions—from youth academies to the national team. Seestadt Aspern thus becomes the central hub of Austrian football, demonstrating how top-level sports performance and sustainable technology can go hand in hand.

Everything in one place

Until now, the ÖFB had its offices at the Ernst Happel Stadium, while the national teams trained at various locations. With the new campus, administration and training infrastructure are brought together for the first time. The centerpiece: a small stadium with just under 1,000 seats and a total of five playing fields—four natural grass and one artificial turf. In the future, ÖFB national teams as well as coaches and support staff will work here under professional conditions.

Particular attention is given to the five pitches, which Rasenplan GmbH equipped with an innovative combination of turf heating and cooling through piped grass grids. “Our turf system allows installation at just 16 cm depth. This enables operation with supply temperatures in the range of the groundwater—10 to 12 °C—thus in the low-temperature range. This allows our clients to save up to 80 % energy annually,” says Eric Hardman, Managing Director of the Swiss Rasenplan GmbH. The entire energy supply at the ÖFB Campus is provided via groundwater—locally sourced and completely CO₂-free.

Reliable technology beneath the turf

HERZ components are also part of the system—unobtrusive but indispensable when it comes to tightness, safety, and durability. “We’re pleased that, among other things, our HERZ press fittings are used in this special environment. It demonstrates the versatility of our systems—from residential buildings to offices, industry, and sports facilities,” says Frank Tesar, Export Manager at HERZ. This shows that large projects often rely just as much on the invisible details.

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Picture:
From left to right: HERZ Export Manager Frank Tesar and Rasenplan GmbH Managing Director Eric Hardman, MBA—on site before kickoff at the new ÖFB Campus.