Have you always wanted to play football at the highest level?

Welcome to the Ottmar Hitzfeld Arena, nestled in the village of Gspon in Canton Valais, Switzerland. Situated at a breathtaking altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level, it stands as Europe’s highest stadium. Serving as the home ground for the amateur football club FC Gspon, this arena pays homage to the legendary football manager Ottmar Hitzfeld. Since 1974, the Swiss Mountain League has graced its turf, situated on the sole relatively flat expanse within the village. The field boasts artificial turf due to the challenges of growing grass at such heights. When the surrounding mountains are blanketed in several meters of snow in the winter months, the pitch transforms into a part of the ski slope. When spring arrives, the players take on the responsibility of removing the accumulated snow from the field’s surface. This task becomes a crucial component of their intensive pre-season training routin

Accessed solely by cable car, Gspon features a bar, a hotel complete with a restaurant, a quaint church, and a scattering of chalets with picturesque stone roofs—an image straight out of a medieval tale. Amidst this serene setting, the only sounds that permeate the air are the gentle hum of the cable car, the tinkling of cowbells as grazing cattle roam, and, during the months from May to October when the village sheds its snowy veil, the unmistakable cry of “Goooaaaallllll!”

While the vista is awe-inspiring, one may wonder, if the ball were to stray beyond the pitch, who would brave the precipitous terrain to retrieve it?

Image courtesy of Wikimedia

Originally published on: Sep 24, 2022