Noisy neighbours? Freiburg banned from night games at new stadium

Berlin - Bundesliga club Freiburg were dealt a blow when it emerged Wednesday that evening kick-offs will be banned at their new stadium because of fears over noise.

The administrative court for Baden-Wurttemberg has forbidden Freiburg from hosting games at their new home, which opens next season, after 20:00 local time and between 13:00 and 15:00 on Sunday afternoons.

The decision would currently prevent Freiburg from playing in four of the six possible kick-off slots -- Fridays at 20:30, Saturdays at 18:30, Sundays at 13:30 and Mondays at 20:30.

Residents near the new stadium, which the club plans to use for the 2020/21 season, took legal action in a bid to halt construction, citing noise concerns and fears of increased local traffic.

The move was rejected by a local court in Freiburg last May.

However, their demands have now been partially upheld by the regional court and the decision was announced Wednesday.

Both Freiburg and the German Football League (DFL) have yet to comment.

Freiburg, currently sixth in the Bundesliga under head coach Christian Streich, have played home games at the 24,000-capacity Schwarzwald Stadion since 1965. Thier new stadium has capacity for 35,000.