Connected to the community

Our strategy

Johan Cruijff ArenA is located in the heart of Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Not only as a stadium for sports and music events, but with its doors open to our neighbourhood. 


Amsterdam-Zuidoost is colourful and diverse, with more than 170 nationalities and over 90,000 residents. A neighbourhood full of stories, dreams and talent. And we want to be the clubhouse of Amsterdam-Zuidoost – in the heart of the community and in the hearts of the people. 


We can only realise this ambition in close collaboration with the neighbourhood. That requires listening, coordination and building trust. We work together with loacl foundations, associations and initiatives, who know what is going on and what is needed. Together, we make the ArenA accessible and meaningful – a place where local residents feel welcome and at home.


Our goal is clear: to offer unforgettable experiences in the ArenA together with local partners. In this way, we will continue to build the clubhouse of Amsterdam-Zuidoost.

“We view the ArenA as a clubhouse where people meet, where community, pride and talent development come together. The challenge is to reach all residents of Amsterdam-Zuidoost, but together with local partners and a growing network, we are getting better and better at this. In this way, we are gradually building a stadium that belongs to and is for the community.”

Karen Nitschke

Communications Manager

Johan Cruijff ArenA

Net Positive goal

5,000 residents in the ArenA on our invitation every year

In 2024/2025, we welcomed these neighbours to the ArenA:

Total
2024/2025

3.720

local residents invited to the ArenA

In addition to the local fans who already come here for football matches and concerts, another 3,720 residents accepted our invitation in the 2024/2025 season and made unforgettable memories in the ArenA. This year, we will not achieve our Net Positive goal of 5,000 local residents in the ArenA, but with a strong strategy and our motivated team, we will continue in the coming seasons.

Our game plan

Together with local partners and talent, we organise free events for local residents. From sporting events such as the 14K Run to a sustainability tour of the ArenA during Amsterdam-Zuidoost Week and the annual ArenA community event, we are making the ArenA feel
like the clubhouse of Amsterdam-Zuidoost.

Social

milestones

From first steps to major breakthroughs – these moments show how we are building a stadium that belongs to and serves the local community. 

2022

First Community Day

For the first time, Johan Cruijff ArenA opened its doors to more than 1,000 residents from Amsterdam-Zuidoost, including a tour of all the highlights of the stadium. An unforgettable day for young and old. 

2024

Start of Social Days

Colleagues used their paid volunteer day for the first time during the ArenA Social Days. Among other things, they rolled up their sleeves at the local foundation Hoop voor Morgen, a local food bank that provides hundreds of families with a complete food package every week.

2024

Amsterdam-Zuidoost Christmas

More than 800 residents from Amsterdam-Zuidoost enjoyed an unforgettable evening at the ArenA. After a tour, neighbours enjoyed an extensive buffet and performances by Christmas choirs. 

2024

Sports day in the ArenA 

A dream come true: the local foundation SES and the ArenA organised a special sports day in the middle of the stadium for 200 children from Amsterdam-Zuidoost. 

2025

Cruyff Street League

Through the Cruyff Street League, young girls from Amsterdam-Zuidoost were given the opportunity to showcase their football talents in the ArenA. These are moments that touch, connect and inspire pride.

in

practice

spotlight

ArenA Community Day

From stadium visit to neighbourhood party

Step by step, we are building strong connections with our local community. ArenA Community Day is a great example of this, and we are happy to put it in the spotlight. 


Read more

CHALLENGE

Ambition vs. impact in Zuidoost

The complexity of a colourful neighbourhood

Our social ambitions are big, but good intentions are not enough. That's why we approach every challenge strategically and remain critical about what works.


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The next phase

Johan Cruijff ArenA focuses on the more than 90,000 residents of Amsterdam-Zuidoost – our dream is that every resident will accept our invitation to enjoy at least one unforgettable experience in the ArenA. A wonderful goal, but also a considerable challenge.  


To achieve this, we are expanding our reach through new partnerships and ambassadors. Every neighbourhood, every age group, every community needs to know: the ArenA is also your clubhouse. We share the stage with artists, athletes and entrepreneurs from Amsterdam-Zuidoost – their stories deserve the stage we can offer. And not just during major events: throughout the year, we organise activities that bring local residents to the ArenA. 

Every year, we want to offer at least

5.000
residents

such a special moment.

We do this through long-term collaboration with local partners. Only together can we make the ArenA truly feel like the clubhouse of Amsterdam-Zuidoost. 

“Our collaboration with Johan Cruijff ArenA enables us to offer children from Amsterdam-Zuidoost unique experiences that strengthen their self-confidence and future prospects. Like the ArenA, we believe in creating meaningful memories that have
a lasting impact.”​​​​​​​

Kwame Agyapong-Ntra

Founder

Stichting SPE

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ArenA

Community Day

From stadium visit to neighbourhood party

Johan Cruijff ArenA is literally in the heart of Amsterdam-Zuidoost, but how do you ensure that the stadium is also part of the community? The first Community Days in 2022 and 2023 were a great start. In both years, 1,000 local residents were given a free stadium tour. A popular formula, but not yet truly rooted in the culture of Amsterdam-Zuidoost. 

The challenge for 2024 was clear: transform Community Day from an ArenA event into a day by and for the neighbourhood. A day in which local talent, entrepreneurship and culture are visible and tangible. 


Teamwork makes the difference

We put our best players on the field: Johan Cruijff ArenA joined forces with Stichting JongVolwassen, a platform for young adults from Amsterdam-Zuidoost that focuses on talent development. Together with founders Ryan Pinas and Giefa Boomdijk, we developed a broad programme and added it to the familiar stadium tour. 


The recipe? We still start with the beloved stadium tour – residents walk onto the pitch through the players' tunnel, visit the Ajax dressing room and discover the rich history of Johan Cruijff ArenA and Ajax in the Ajax Gallery of Fame. But on top of that, there is a programme that is entirely from Amsterdam-Zuidoost. 


Residents enjoy performances by local musicians and theatre makers, who are given a stage on the pitch. The programme, conceived and executed by JongVolwassen, puts entrepreneurship and creativity from Amsterdam-Zuidoost in the spotlight.


Local players in the lead

On Community Day 2024, more than 1,000 residents from Amsterdam-Zuidoost enjoyed a day full of sport, music, culture and socialising. The expansion of the programme was enthusiastically received by visitors; it gave Comunity Day a recognisable Zuidoost identity and made the ArenA feel like the local clubhouse. 


For JongVolwassen, organising Community Day was a valuable learning experience: young people put their talents to use in the production, gained practical experience and directly experienced the impact of their work on their own community. 

Looking ahead

ArenA community Day shows how collaboration with local partners and young talent creates more connection, pride and reciprocity. We continue to build a day that not only opens our doors, but also touches the hearts of Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Because a stadium is only truly home when the neighbourhood feels at home there.

more connection

 a stadium is only truly home when the neighbourhood feels at home there.

“Collaboration with Johan Cruijff ArenA gives JongVolwassen the opportunity to make a real impact in the neighbourhood together with a committed partner. By working together on initiatives such as Community Day, we bring young adults and local residents closer together and build a strong, inclusive community.”

Ryan Pinas,
Giefa Boomdijk

Founders

Stichting JongVolwassen

Ambition vs. impact

in Zuidoost

Amsterdam-Zuidoost has 90,000 residents with endless dreams and ambitions. At Johan Cruijff ArenA, we want to play a meaningful role in this diverse community. But how do you know what's really going on?

We are a relatively small organisation with a limited budget, but with ambitious Net Positive goals. Every euro we invest must make a real difference. That means making choices – sometimes difficult ones.


The complexity of a colourful neighbourhood

Amsterdam-Zuidoost is the definition of diversity. More than 170 nationalities live together, entrepreneurial families pursue their dreams, and young people develop their talents.


The challenge? Residents have diverse wishes, while our possibilities are not unlimited. Communication plays a key role in this: showing what we do, explaining why we make certain choices, and determining together where we have the greatest added value. That is why we listen and engage in dialogue. We take steps together with local foundations, associations and experts. They know what is going on and which needs are most urgent.


Strategy through research

To gain insight into expectations and needs, we conducted a Social Scan at the end of 2024, in collaboration with local organisation Sparks Impact. Through interviews with community centres, local foundations, schools and youth organisations, among others, we gained insight into the issues that are important in Amsterdam-Zuidoost.

What the scan taught us:

  • Talent development for young people is high on the agenda
  • Encounters between different communities can be strengthened
  • Practical support at events is appreciated
  • The visibility of local stories deserves more attention

Great expectations

These insights help us to substantiate our existing ambitions and develop new perspectives. Together with local organisations, we have already been able to realise several concrete activities that arose from the recommendations.


Our new focus:

  • Deeper rather than broader: Preferably fewer projects with more impact
  • Local expertise first: local organisations take the lead, we facilitate
  • Transparency about possibilities: Honest about what is and is not possible
  • Long-term partnerships: Investing in sustainable collaborations

The power of Amsterdam-Zuidoost

Managing expectations requires care. We don't want to raise false hopes, but we also don't want to be too cautious. By actively listening, communicating transparently and strategically choosing where to focus our energy, we are building a stronger relationship with the community step by step.


The strength of Amsterdam-Zuidoost is its entrepreneurial spirit, and we are keen to tap into that. As we go along, we learn what works, what fits and where we can really make an impact. Because ultimately, it's not about what we think is good for the community – it's about what the neighbourhood really needs.

zuidoost

The strength of Amsterdam-Zuidoost is its entrepreneurial spirit, and we are keen to tap into that.

“We want to feel connected to the neighbourhood and respond to the needs that exist in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. In doing so, we remain true to who we are as the ArenA, and we are always honest about what we can and cannot contribute.”

Rahma el Mouden

Personal Assistant

Johan Cruyff ArenA

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