Nowadays, no one can imagine that any other team than the Zebras (MSV Duisburg) had their home in the MSV Arena. Professional football, MSV and MSV Arena, this triad set the tone for more than four decades. The new MSV arena is conceived as a soccer stadium with multifunctional use possibilities: Originally it has been made for use as a football stadium but is is also used for events of a similar nature (outdoor sporting events with up to approximately 31,500 spectators in the stands). Furthermore, application has also been made for the year-round use of the function areas like the fan shop, changing and auxiliary rooms.

Established in 1902 the Meidericher Spielverein, as the sports club from the Duisburg suburb Meiderich was originally called, went on to become Lower Rhine regional champions twice prior to the outbreak of World War II. Yet, this success was short-lived, the club remaining in the sub-regional, district league during the war.

At the beginning of the 50s, with the help of trainer Willi Multhaup MSV Duisburg were promoted to the Oberliga West and in 1963, as one of the 16 founder members, became the first runners-up in the national first division of the newly launched Bundesliga. Instrumental in this success at club level was the "Hero of Bern", Helmut Rahn, who helped the German national side to their first World Cup trophy in the Swiss capital. MSV Duisburg is also proud of its record 0:9 victory over Tasmania Berlin in 1966, the highest away score in Bundesliga history.

Unfortunately, MSV Duisburg's fortunes declined somewhat subsequent to their glory days, tending to go up and down from division to division like a yo-yo.

MSV Duisburg has recently returned to top-flight football, i.e. the first division of the Bundesliga.