DFL and VfB Stuttgart continue 360-degree immersive tests with live and behind the scenes content

The DFL and VfB Stuttgart used two pitch-side cameras and another in the main stand to produce a stereoscopic 360-degree live signal of VfB Stuttgart’s recent match against SV Werder Bremen.

The test, which took place during the Bundesliga tie on 13 April, allowed guests at the Mercedes-Benz Business Centre in Stuttgart were to switch between the different camera angles and enjoy a personalised panoramic view of the action. The high-resolution 10K stream was beamed to the high-tech glasses at a rate of 60 frames per second.

DFL VP product management and innovation Dominik Scholler said: “With a clear focus on the needs of Bundesliga fans and media partners, as well as our commitment to being ‘closer to the game’, disruptive innovations play a central role in our innovation and product strategy.

“We are therefore delighted to be taking another step forward in our series of tests together with VfB Stuttgart. In doing so, we have gained valuable insights into the production setup and user feedback when using immersive reality and virtual-reality glasses in the context of Bundesliga broadcasts.”

The technology was first tested at the 2024 Super Cup in Leverkusen, when VfB Stuttgart faced Bayer Leverkusen. Since then, the DFL said the technology has been further developed and tested in a variety of ways.

Watch DFL’s Dominik Scholler and Jan Deckenbrock on producing immersive coverage of the 2024 German Supercup final

At SVG Europe’s Football Summit 2025, Dominik Scholler, DFL, VP of Product Management & Innovation and Jan Deckenbrock, DFL, Head of Product Innovation spoke about how and why they produced coverage of the 2024 German Super Cup final as a live stream for mixed reality glasses and headsets, giving viewers a 360-degree pitchside view of the on-field action.

The recent test at the VfB Stuttgart v SV Werder Bremen match was the first time that the combination of live broadcasts of a match with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights was tested at a Bundesliga match.

The trial involving VfB Stuttgart and the DFL will provide further feedback and data, with both organisations set to continue working closely together on the immersive trials. The DFL said the next stage of tests would involve testing additional camera angles, along with further work to develop how the transmission signals are sent and received.

VfB Stuttgart chief executive Alexander Wehrle added: “Innovation is part of VfB Stuttgart’s DNA. The media sports experience is undergoing a fundamental change – and we want to play an active role in shaping it.

“Data rates, cameras and wearables such as modern virtual-reality glasses open up fascinating possibilities for enhancing the stadium experience. Even though the live experience in the stadium remains irreplaceable, we see it as our responsibility to make good use of the opportunities offered by digital transformation.

“We have created the ideal conditions for this in our state-of-the-art MHP Arena – the current trials are a first, logical step towards innovative forms of fan interaction and media use.”

The proprietary technology comes from Berlin-based start-up Softseed Technologies, which worked on the production in collaboration with DFL subsidiary Sportcast. In March 2025, DFL and Softseed Technologies received the Sport Tech Company Award at the ISC in London for the immersive reality production at the 2024 Super Cup.