Lanxess Arena (stylized as LANXESS arena; originally Kölnarena, German for "Cologne arena") is an indoor arena, in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is known as the 18,500-capacity home of the Kölner Haie and as one of Germany's major music venues. As of 2019, Lanxess Arena was the highest-attended arena worldwide, with 699,924 tickets sold.Worldwide Ticket Sales - TOP 200 Arena Venues The arena is spanned by a notable steel arch supporting the roof via steel cables. The height of the arch is and its weight is 480 tons.
History
On June 2, 2008, it was announced that Kölnarena would be renamed Lanxess Arena, for a period of ten years.Kölnarena to be renamed the "LANXESS Arena" The sponsor, Lanxess AG, is a specialty chemicals group based in the Lanxess Tower in Deutz, Cologne. This naming-rights deal was extended in 2017 until December 31, 2023. Then in October 2023, it was announced that the cooperation between the arena and Lanxess had been extended for another 5 years until 2028.
Events The arena is primarily used by Kölner Haie (ice hockey), VfL Gummersbach (handball), Köln RheinStars (basketball), and as a concert venue. In the world of Counter-Strike esports, the venue is known as "The Cathedral", having played host to the annual Intel Extreme Masters Cologne event since 2015, and three Major Championships held in the arena as of 2026.
Concerts Lanxess Arena has been one of the top entertainment venues in Cologne since its opening. Many international artists have performed at the venue, spanning a wide range of music genres. Artists that have performed their concerts at the venue are listed in the table below. +Concerts held at Lanxess Arena Date Nationality Artist Tour Opening Act1998 October 5 United Kingdom Depeche Mode The Singles Tour October 6 November 19 Elton John Big Picture Tour December 27 United States Prince New Power Soul Tour1999 March 8 United States Kiss Psycho Circus World Tour Buckcherry April 15 Bruce SpringsteenE Street Band Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour May 15 Germany Scorpions Eye to Eye Tour June 7 United States Backstreet Boys Into the Millennium Tour June 24 Aerosmith Nine Lives Tour September 24 Whitney Houston My Love Is Your Love World Tour Amanda Marshall September 28 October 19 Cher Do You Believe? Belinda Carlisle2000 February 20 United States Mariah Carey Rainbow World Tour May 6 Puerto Rico Ricky Martin Livin' la Vida Loca Tour May 11 United States Bob Dylan Never Ending Tour 2000 June 27 United Kingdom Elton John Stately Home Tour October 29 Australia AC/DC Stiff Upper Lip World Tour Slash's Snakepit November 13 United States Britney Spears Oops!... I Did It Again Tour November 15 Australia AC/DC Stiff Upper Lip World Tour Slash's Snakepit2001 July 12 Ireland U2 Elevation Tour Söhne Mannheims July 13 July 23 United Kingdom Mark Knopfler Sailing to Philadelphia Tour September 26 Depeche Mode Exciter Tour September 272002 May 18 United Kingdom Roger Waters In the Flesh Tour May 20 United States Destiny's Child Destiny's Child World Tour December 12 Colombia Shakira Tour of the Mongoose2003 April 27 Ireland Westlife Unbreakable Tour April 28 April 29 United Kingdom Paul McCartney Back in the World Tour October 4 United States Christina Aguilera The Stripped Tour October 31 United Kingdom David Bowie A Reality Tour November 17 United States Justin Timberlake The Justified World Tour December 16 Metallica Madly in Anger with the World Tour2004 March 15 United States Pink Try This Tour March 29 Canada Shania Twain Up! Tour Bjorn Again May 28 United States Cher Living Proof: The Farewell Tour November 1 Anastacia Live at Last Tour2005 March 1 United States Anastacia Live at Last Tour April 5 Australia Kylie Minogue Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour Melody Club May 30 United States Backstreet Boys Never Gone Tour May 31 Destiny's Child Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It June 6 United Kingdom Mark Knopfler Shangri-La Tour2006 October 19 United States Pink I'm Not Dead Tour November 6 Bruce SpringsteenThe Sessions Bruce Springsteen with The Seeger Sessions Band Tour November 13 United Kingdom George Michael 25 Live2007 April 8 Colombia Shakira Oral Fixation Tour April 16 United Kingdom Roger Waters The Dark Side of the Moon Live June 10 United States Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveShow June 14 Meat Loaf Seize The Night Tour June 27 Aerosmith 2007 World Tour September 15 Gwen Stefani Sweet Escape Tour CSS October 29 United Kingdom Take That Beautiful World Tour 2007 Sophie Ellis-Bextor December 13 United States Bruce SpringsteenE Street Band Magic Tour December 20 United Kingdom Spice Girls The Return of the Spice Girls2008 May 27 Australia Kylie Minogue KylieX2008 June 18 Canada Celine Dion Taking Chances World Tour Jon Mesek September 8 Nickelback Dark Horse Tour September 12 United Kingdom Coldplay Viva la Vida Tour High WireAlbert Hammond Jr.2009 January 14 United States Tina Turner Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour January 15 January 18 January 19 March 30 Pink Funhouse Tour May 17 Metallica World Magnetic Tour Machine HeadThe Sword June 17 United Kingdom Eagles Long Road Out of Eden Tour July 1 Canada Leonard Cohen Leonard Cohen Tour 2008–2010 October 5 United States Green Day 21st Century Breakdown World Tour Prima Donna October 29 Norway A-ha Foot Of The Mountain Tour November 16 United Kingdom Muse The Resistance Tour Biffy Clyro November 28 Cliff RichardThe Shadow The Final Reunion Tour November 29 Germany Rammstein Liebe ist für alle da Tour December 16 United Kingdom Paul McCartney Good Evening Europe Tour December 172010 June 20 United Kingdom Mark Knopfler Get Lucky Tour September 24 Sting Symphonicity Tour October 14 Canada Michael Bublé Crazy Love Tour Naturally 7 October 27 United States Linkin Park A Thousand Suns World Tour November 13 Germany Scorpions Get Your Sting and Blackout World Tour December 11 Colombia Shakira The Sun Comes Out World Tour2011 May 21 United Kingdom Sade Sade Live The Jolly Boys June 21 United States Eagles Long Road Out of Eden Tour July 28 Prince Welcome 2 October 7 Red Hot Chili Peppers I'm with You World Tour Femi Kuti & The Positive Force October 18 Britney Spears Femme Fatale Tour Joe Jonas Destinee & Paris November 8 Barbados Rihanna Loud Tour November 29 United States 30 Seconds To Mars Into the Wild Tour December 15 United Kingdom Coldplay Mylo Xyloto Tour Emeli Sandé2012 April 25 Canada Michael Bublé Crazy Love Tour Naturally 7 July 4 United Kingdom Snow Patrol Fallen Empires Tour July 10 United States Madonna The MDNA Tour Martin Solveig September 4 Lady Gaga Born This Way Ball The DarknessLady Starlight September 5 September 21 Canada Nickelback Here and Now Tour November 15 United Kingdom Deep Purple The Songs That Built Rock Tour2013 April 6 Canada Justin Bieber Believe Tour June 5 United States Alicia Keys Set the World on Fire World Tour June 26 Barbados Rihanna Diamonds World Tour GTA June 27 November 21 United Kingdom Depeche Mode The Delta Machine Tour2014 March 15 United States Beyoncé The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour Monsieur Adi March 16April 20Justin TimberlakeThe 20/20 Experience World Tour DJ Freestyle SteveApril 22 May 1 Germany Scorpions Get Your Sting and Blackout World Tour May 2 United Kingdom Peter Gabriel Back to Front Tour May 26 United States Miley Cyrus Bangerz Tour October 7 Lady Gaga ArtRave: The Artpop Ball Lady Starlight November 2 Germany Helene Fischer Farbenspiel Live November 32015 March 5 United States Katy Perry Prismatic World Tour Charli XCX June 13 Ariana Grande The Honeymoon Tour DJ Dubz June 19 Taylor Swift The 1989 World Tour James Bay June 20 October 4 United Kingdom Take That Take That Live 2015 Ella HendersonNessi October 17 Ireland U2 Innocence + Experience Tour October 18 October 20 Argentina Violetta Violetta Live International Tour November 4 United States Madonna Rebel Heart Tour Mary Mac November 52016April 13United StatesMariah CareySweet Sweet Fantasy TourApril 26NorwayA-haCast In Steel Tour March 6 United Kingdom Muse Drones World Tour Royal Blood May 14 Adele Adele Live 2016 May 15 June 8 Australia 5 Seconds of Summer Sounds Live Feels Live World Tour Don Broco September 18 Canada Justin Bieber Purpose World Tour Vic Mensa November 14 United States Red Hot Chili Peppers The Getaway World Tour Deerhoof November 23 Germany Scorpions Get Your Sting and Blackout World Tour2017 January 17 United Kingdom Black Sabbath The End Tour Rival Sons February 15 United States Kings of Leon WALLS Tour March 2 Canada The Weeknd Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour Lil Uzi VertBryson Tiller March 16 Drake Boy Meets World Tour March 23 United Kingdom Ed Sheeran ÷ Tour Anne-MarieRyan McMullan April 10 United States Bruno Mars 24K Magic World Tour Anderson Paak June 11 United Kingdom Phil Collins Not Dead Yet Tour June 12 June 14 June 15 June 16 September 14 United States Metallica WorldWired Tour Kvelertak September 16 October 3 Germany Helene Fischer Helene Fischer Live 2017/2018 October 4 October 6 October 7 October 82018 January 15 United Kingdom Depeche Mode Global Spirit Tour The Horrors January 23 Germany Helene Fischer Helene Fischer Live 2017/2018 January 24 February 22 United States Kendrick Lamar The Damn Tour James Blake March 24 Argentina Soy Luna Soy Luna Live April 28 United Kingdom Sam Smith The Thrill of It All Tour May 23 United States Katy Perry Witness: The Tour Tove Styrke June 5 Colombia Shakira El Dorado World Tour Salva June 6 United States Demi Lovato Tell Me You Love Me World Tour JoyJuly 21Justin TimberlakeThe Man of the Woods TourThe ShadowboxersJuly 22 September 4 Ireland U2 Experience + Innocence Tour September 5 October 8 Canada Shania Twain Shania Now Tour Bastian Baker December 4 Japan Hatsune Miku Hatsune Miku Expo 2018 Europe 2019 March 18 Canada Shawn Mendes Shawn Mendes: The Tour Alessia Cara March 23 Trinidad and Tobago Nicki Minaj The Nicki Wrld Tour Zuna & AzetMiami YacineJuice WRLD September 1 United States Ariana Grande Sweetener World Tour Ella MaiSocial House September 23 United Kingdom Little Mix LM5 The Tour Keelie WalkerOctober 5United StatesCherHere We Go Again TourBright Light Bright LightKidCutUp2020February 11United States Jonas Brothers Happiness Begins Tour Jordan McGrawPicture This2022 May 12 United Kingdom Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia Tour Griff May 15 Norway A-ha Hunting High and Low Tour July 8 United States Alicia Keys Alicia the World Tour July 22 United Kingdom Harry Styles Love on Tour Wolf Alice December 8 South Korea Blackpink Born Pink World Tour2023 February 5 United Kingdom Robbie Williams XXV Tour February 6 February 82024 March 19 Canada Celine Dion Courage World Tour May 22 United States Jonas Brothers Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour June 4 Trinidad and Tobago Nicki Minaj Pink Friday 2 World Tour June 5 June 11 Colombia Karol G Mañana será bonito Tour June 12 United States Olivia Rodrigo Guts World Tour Remi WolfJune 14AlbaniaElvana GjataDekadaJuly 11United StatesMegan Thee StallionHot Girl Summer Tour August 25 United States Justin Timberlake The Forget Tomorrow World Tour August 26 October 6 United States Janet Jackson Janet Jackson: Together Again Wyclef Jean October 12 Serbia Aleksandra Prijović Od Istoka Do Zapada Tour
Sports and computer gaming The arena was used for the 2007 World Men's Handball Championship, including the third place game and the final game.
On June 13, 2009, the Ultimate Fighting Championships held UFC 99 at the Lanxess Arena. This was the first time the UFC had made its way to Germany.
From 2010, the arena host the handball EHF Champions League Final Four.
The arena was one of the venues for the 2010 IIHF World Championship, including both semi-finals, the Bronze medal game and the Championship game.
From August 22–23, 2015, the arena hosted ESL One Cologne 2015, one of three major Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments to be held throughout 2015.