( CNN ) -- Heavy snowfall in Germany has caused part of the roof to collapse at the Veltins Arena , which hosts Bundesliga soccer team Schalke 04 . The stadium , in Gelsenkirchen , stages all Schalke 's home games and was also due to hold the annual biathlon World Team Challenge later this week . But the event has been cancelled after a deluge of snow over Christmas created a hole measuring 1,000 square meters in the roof . Three fibre glass strips that hold the roof in place were destroyed . `` The holes are not going to be closed in time , '' Schalke 's chairman Peter Peters said of the biathlon on the club 's official website . `` The safety of the spectators is the utmost priority . '' Football 's heroes and villains of 2010 . The Bundesliga is currently on its winter break , with Schalke not scheduled to play at the Veltins Arena until the January 15 clash with Hamburg . But that match is not thought to be in danger , as it can be played with the roof open . `` I am optimistic that we will be able to start the second half of the season according to schedule , '' Peters said . Staff had cleared an earlier downfall prior to Christmas but were unable to get onto the roof after that due to harsh weather conditions . The stadium was opened in 2001 and can hold 61,482 spectators . It played host to the 2004 UEFA Champions League final and staged five games in the 2006 World Cup .
Heavy snow causes part of the roof at Schalke 's Veltins Arena to collapse . A yearly biathlon , the World Team Challenge , scheduled for this week has been cancelled . Schalke 's next home game with Hamburg on January 15 not thought to be in danger .