World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)

Capacity	80 788
Country	Russia
City	Moscow
Inauguration	31/07/1956
Renovations	1979, 1996, 1999, 2007-2008, 2013-2017
Cost	400 million USD (2013-2017)
Design	SPeeCH, Mosinzhproekt (2013-2017)
Engineer	Metropolis (2013-2017)
Contractor	Mosinzhproekt (2013-2017)
Address	Luzhnetskaya nab. 24, 119048 Moskva

Luzhniki Stadium, initially called Central Lenin Stadium, was built between 1955 and 1956. It was the result of the ambition of the Soviet leadership to upgrade the country’s sports facilities after the Soviet Union had tasted its first post-war successes at the 1952 Olympics.

Works on Luzhniki Olympic Complex started in 1954 and construction of its centrepiece stadium, also called the Grand Sports Arena, in 1955. The stadium got finished in just 450 days and officially opened on 31 July 1956.

Luzhniki Stadium served as the centrepiece stadium of the 1980 Olympics, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, athletics events, football finals, and equestrian programme.

In 1982, a stadium disaster took place at the stadium during a second round UEFA Cup match between FC Spartak and Dutch side HFC Haarlem. In the dying seconds of the match, people started rushing for the exits to make it to the metro before the rest of the crowd. When someone fell on the icy staircases, chaos ensued, and the resulting crush and domino effect killed 66 people.

Until the 1990s, the roofless stadium could hold just over 100,000 spectators. In 1996, the stadium got extensively renovated, which included the construction of a roof over the stands and the refurbishment of the seating areas, which resulted in a decrease of capacity.

In 1999, Luzhniki Stadium hosted the UEFA Cup final between Parma and Marseille (3-0), and in 2008 the Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea (1-1).

The stadium was regularly used by Spartak Moscow, lacking a home of their own, until they moved to the newly built Otkritie Arena in 2014.

When Russia got awarded the 2018 World Cup, it was soon clear that Luzhniki Stadium would host the final and as a result had to undergo a large redevelopment. It hosted its last football match in May 2013 and closed following the IAAF Athletics World Championships in August 2013.

Redevelopment works entailed the complete reconstruction of the stands, adding a second tier, the removal of the running tracks, and an expanded roof structure. The characteristic exterior of the stadium was left intact. Works were completed in the summer of 2017, and the first football match at the reopened stadium, a friendly between Russia and Argentina (0-1), was played on 11 November 2017.

Matches

The Luzhniki is the main stadium of the upcoming FIFA World Cup: the Opening Match, three group-stage encounters, a Round-of-16 tie, a semi-final and the Final are all being held here.

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Saint Petersburg Stadium

Capacity	68 134
Country	Russia
City	Saint Petersburg
Clubs	FC Zenit St. Petersburg
Inauguration	22/04/2017 (Zenit – Ural Yekaterinburg, 2-0)
Construction	2007 – 31/03/2017
Cost	1.1 billion USD
Design	Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates
Contractor	Inzhtransstroi / Metrostroi
Address	Futbolnaya, 197110 Sankt-Peterburg, Russia

Saint Petersburg Stadium, also referred to as Zenit Arena, Krestovsky Stadium, and Piter Arena, is the recently opened stadium of FC Zenit. Saint Petersburg’s new, super-modern stadium is built on the site of the Kirov Stadium on Krestovsky Island, which, in its day, was one of the country’s largest stadiums, with a capacity of 110,000. The tender to build Saint Petersburg Stadium was won by the renowned Japanese architect Kisho Kurosawa.

Planning for the new stadium began late 2005, and first construction works started by the end of 2008. The stadium was initially planned to be completed in 2009, but works were hampered by a series of delays, including a redesign to comply with FIFA requirements and fraud investigations.

Saint Petersburg Stadium was initially to be funded by Russian gas firm Gazprom, however after they pulled out the project was taken over by the St. Petersburg city government.

On 25 July 2016 the general contractor, Inzhtransstroy-Spb, issued a statement that the city authorities have failed to pay 1 billion rubles ($15.8 million at the current exchange rate) worth of construction work and stopped the work. The next day the contract was terminated. On 1 August there were reports of wind damage to parts of the metal sheathing, and a flood. In the end of August 2016, the new general contractor, Metrostroy, resumed construction works on the site.

The architect’s vision for Saint Petersburg Stadium was of a spaceship that has landed on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. The seven-storey building is 79 metres high. Technologically, Saint Petersburg Stadium is one of the world’s most modern arenas. Equipped with a retractable roof and a sliding pitch, it’s able to host any type of event at any time of year – even in winter, the temperature inside the stadium is 15 degrees Celsius.

The stadium was completed in April 2017, however overall costs had soared past $1 billion, which made it one of the most expensive stadiums ever built. The first official match at Saint Petersburg Stadium was played on 22 April 2017 when Zenit hosted Ural for a league match (2-0).

On 17 June 2017, the first game of 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup was held on the stadium with the Group A match between the host Russia and New Zealand.  On 2 July 2017, the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup final match was held at the stadium between Chile and Germany, becoming the most attended match of the tournament and also setting the record attendance for the stadium.

The stadium is home to Zenit St. Petersburg. It is able to host many different types of events, from concerts and shows to competitions in a whole range of sports. In 2020, the arena will host three matches in the group stage of Euro 2020, as well as one of the competition’s quarter-finals.

Saint Petersburg Stadium is going to be one of the playing venues of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, during which it will host four first round group matches, a quarter final, a semi final, and the match for third place.

 

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Otkritie Arena (Moscow)

Capacity	45 360
Country	Russia
City	Moscow
Clubs	FC Spartak Moscow
Inauguration	05/09/2014
Construction	10/2010 – 2014
Address	Volokolamskoye sh., 69, Moskva, Russia, 125424
Cost	430 million USD
Design	AECOM, Dexter Moren Associates

Spartak Moscow, the “people’s team”, is one of Russia’s most popular football clubs. And yet, ever since it was founded in 1922, it has had to make do without its own stadium. The club has played home games at Moscow’s Dynamo, Luzhniki and Lokomotiv stadiums, at the Khimki Arena just outside Moscow and even in Ekaterinburg.

In spring 2010, on the site of Moscow’s former airfield in the district of Tushino, Spartak started building its own 45,000-seater stadium. On 19 February 2013 it was announced that the new stadium will be named «Otkrytiye Arena» for six years under the terms of the contract with Otkrytiye Bank. On 21 August 2014, a monument to the Starostin brothers, the founders of FC Spartak Moscow, opened near the north stands inside the stadium. A 24.5-meter sculpture of the Roman Gladiator Spartacus, for whom the club is named, was unveiled in the square outside the stadium. The venue hosted its first match on 5 September 2014, when Spartak drew 1:1 with Red Star Belgrade, and was also a 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup stadium.

Spartak Stadium’s appearance is a matter of great pride. Its façade takes the form of chain mail consisting of hundreds of little diamonds representing the Spartak logo. The façade can be changed depending on which team is playing. For Spartak matches, the arena is bathed in red-and-white; when the national team is in town, it switches to the colours of the Russian flag.

Spartak Stadium also houses the Spartak Moscow museum, the official fan club and the club shop. A new underground station has opened nearby.

At the World Cup 2018, Otkritie Arena will host four group matches and a Round of 16 clash.

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Fisht Olympic Stadium (Sochi)

Capacity	47 659
Country	Russia
City	Sochi
Clubs	–
Inauguration	07/02/2014
Construction	2009-2014
Cost	779 million USD
Design	Populous
Contractor	Ingeokom
Address	Olympic Ave, Adler, Krasnodarskiy kray, 354340, Russia

Fisht Olympic stadium is a multi-sport stadium in Sochi, Russia, that was built as the centerstage of the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics and Paralympics. It hosted the opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics. It is now used as a football stadium.

It is one of the architectural marvels that was created by a global arena design firm- Populus. The construction started in 2009 and there were massive delays. Questions were raised about its completion on time. But all went well and the stadium was opened for public on February 2014 with the advent of the winter Olympics.

Fisht Olympic Stadium has a current capacity of 47,659. The stadium was named after a local peak as the roof structure of the stadium resembles a mountain peak.

There were many initial blueprints on the structure of the stadium after Sochi won the hosting rights for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Construction work began in 2009 amid hue and cry by the ecologist over selection of a seaside site for the construction. They argued that there would be environmental damages.

After delays and fears of not getting completed in time, the stadium was ready for the mega event just in the eleventh hour.

The final structure of the stadium resembles a snow-capped mountain peak. The arena offers impressive views across the park from its raised landscaped mound.

Both the ends of the stadium are open, and with reduced capacity and smaller stands allow the picturesque view of mountains on one end and the Black Sea on another.

The stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The event was a grand success.

The stadium was then upgraded into a football stadium to host few matches the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, including the semi-final clash between Germany and Mexico. The stadium became the first to host both Winter Olympics and the Confederations Cup.

Matches
The Fisht Stadium is staging one of the most highly anticipated encounters of the group stages, as Portugal and Spain kick off their World Cup campaigns by going head to head in this very city. Sochi is hosting three other group matches, a Round of 16 tie and a quarter-final.

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Volgograd Arena

Capacity	45 568
Country	Russia
City	Volgograd
Clubs	FC Rotor Volgograd
Inauguration	21/04/2018
Construction	2015-2018
Cost	280 million USD
Design	Sport-Engineering
Contractor	Stroytransgaz
Address	пр-кт. В.И. Ленина, 76, Volgograd, Volgogradskaya oblast’, Russia, 400005

The new World Cup venue in Volgograd was built on the site of the old Central Stadium, not far from the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex. The location of the former stadium is something of a footballing Mecca for supporters in the city, many of whom still remember the victorious two-legged tie against Manchester United in 1995 and the battles with Spartak Moscow for the league title from the same decade.

The Arena was designed by Moscow-based Sport-Engineering, the winner of an open tender. Stroytransgaz was the project’s general construction contractor. Initially, local authorities estimated the total project cost, including the construction works, at 10 billion rubles. In October 2014, the preliminary construction cost of the stadium for the 2018 FIFA World Cup was adjusted to 17 billion rubles. The architectural and planning solutions implemented in the stadium focus primarily on its efficient multifunctional use. Its sports core is fully FIFA-compliant. The stadium’s capacity is at 45,000 seats, including 2,280 seats in the media box, 640 seats in the VIP box, and 460 seats for people with limited mobility. A special architectural feature of the stadium is its large roof resting on a cable frame, arranged in a “bicycle wheel” pattern created by steel-wire cables. The Volgograd Arena is shaped like an overturned truncated cone 49.5 m tall and about 303 m in diameter. The façade shape is dictated by the need to fit the building compactly into the available piece of land. The stadium has 42 elevators, 24 of them adapted for people with disabilities. The ornamental pattern of the self-bearing façade structures is evocative of the traditional local wine weaving craft and Victory Day fireworks.

The first few games held at the newly constructed Volgograd Arena took place during April and May. On 21 April, Rotor Volgograd welcomed Luch Energiya from Vladivostok and then Krylia Sovetov from Samara two and a half weeks later. On 9 May, there was a near sell-out at the stadium for the Russian Cup Final, in which FC Tosno from Leningrad Oblast beat Avangard Kursk 2-1.

After the World Cup, local club Rotor plan to move in permanently to the Volgograd Arena, which will also stage a whole variety of public events in the future.

Matches
The Volgograd Arena is hosting four matches in the group stage at Russia 2018, including England’s opening game against Tunisia on 18 June.

 

 

World Cup 2018 – Mordovia Arena (Saransk)

Capacity	44 442
Country	Russia
City	Saransk
Clubs	FC Mordovia Saransk
Inauguration	21/04/2018
Broke ground	2010
Construction	2011-2018
Cost	300 million USD
Design	SaranskGrazhdanProekt
Contractor	SDS – Upravlenie stroitelstva
Address	Volgogradskaya Ulitsa, 1, Saransk, Respublika Mordoviya, Russia, 430009

The World Cup stadium was built on the flood plain of the Insar River that runs through Saransk and is within walking distance of the city centre and residential districts. Plenty of hotels, landmarks and the FIFA Fan Fest are also located not far from the Mordovia Arena.

The Mordovia Arena was designed using a blend of orange, red and white, a colour scheme that reflects the traditional folk art of the native Mordvin peoples.

The stadium is oval in shape, with a high two-story basement. The walls and the roof form a solid shell of perforated steel panels, painted in bright colours. This shell is elevated above the basement, creating the impression of lightness, a hovering effect. At a distance, the building resembles an air balloon, ready to take off. The architects had meant the shape and coloration of the shell of Mordovia Arena to evoke warmth, the sun, hospitality, and a warm welcome.   For perfect visibility, no spectator seat is farther than 90m away from the middle of the pitch. The distance between any corner of the pitch and the opposite spectator stall does not exceed 190m.

The first few games at the newly constructed Mordovia Arena took place in April and May of this year. Local side FC Mordovia inaugurated their new home ground with a 0-0 draw against Zenit Izhevsk on 21 April, following that up with a defeat by KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny on 4 May. They got their first win at the stadium on 16 May, beating Syzran-2003 to gain qualification to Russia’s second flight, the Football National League.

After the 2018 World Cup the upper stands are to be dismantled, decreasing capacity to 28,000. Between the stands left and the roof a promenade with retail and leisure spaces is to be created. Away from football, city and regional governments plan to turn the facility into the largest sports and leisure centre in the Republic of Mordovia. The arena will be able to stage numerous events, host clubs and academies from various sports and serve as the location for many other activities as well.

Matches
The Mordovia Arena is hosting four matches during the group stage at Russia 2018, including Peru’s opening game against Denmark on 16 June.

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Nizhny Novgorod Stadium

Capacity	44 899
Country	Russia
City	Nizhny Novgorod
Clubs	FC Olimpiyets Nizhny Novgorod
Inauguration	15/04/2018
Construction	2015-2018
Address	Ulitsa Dolzhanskaya, 2А корпус 1, Nizhnij Novgorod, Nizhegorodskaya oblast’, Russia, 603159
Cost	290 million USD
Contractor	Stroytransgaz

Nizhny Novgorod Stadium is a recently opened new stadium in the city of Nizhny Novgorod that will be one of the playing venues of the 2018 World Cup. It furthermore replaced Lokomotiv Stadium as the home of FC Olimpiyets.

At the end of 2014, the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation signed a contract with OAO Stroytransgaz for the construction of a stadium worth 16.756 billion rubles for an area of 21.6 hectares. The total estimated cost of the stadium, which includes, in addition to the construction and installation works performed by the general contractor, also the design cost, is 17.9 billion rubles.

Construction of the stadium started in early 2015 and was completed three years later in 2018.

Built specially for Russia 2018, the stadium is located in a picturesque spot called the Strelka where the rivers Oka and Volga join. Close to the venue is one of Nizhny Novogorod’s main landmarks, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

The architectural concept of Nizhny Novgorod Stadium uses two shades of blue and white throughout and is closely inspired by elements from the Volga countryside. Cutting-edge technology and materials were used during its construction, and there were some innovative decisions made to ensure accessibility for the entire population and the safety of footballers and fans.

The stadium officially opened on 15 April 2018 with a league match between Olimpiyets and Zenith II.

After the World Cup, FC Olimpiyets will move in permanently to Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. The site will be a multi-functional venue, with areas set aside for training, health and fitness and business. The stadium will also reinvigorate the Strelka as a destination for walks, tourism and recreation among locals and visitors to the city. The authorities are planning to transform the space around the arena into a park with riverside embankments, cycling paths, car parks and new and reconstructed roads.

Matches
Six games are being held at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium during the 2018 World Cup, including a Round-of-16 tie and a quarter-final. Two former World Cup winners will be playing at the arena during the group stages: Argentina and England.

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Cosmos Arena (Samara)

Capacity	44 918
Country	Russia
City	Samara
Clubs	FC Krylia Sovetov Samara
Inauguration	28/04/2018
Construction	21/07/2014 – 25/04/2018
Cost	320 million USD
Design	TerrNIIgrazhdanproekt, GMP Architekten, AECOM
Contractor	PSO Kazan

The Cosmos Arena, also known as Samara Arena or Samara Stadium, is the recently opened new home of Krylia Sovetov, replacing Metallurg Stadium. The stadium was built to serve as one of the playing venues of the 2018 World Cup.

First plans for the new stadium were made around 2010, which became concrete when in 2012 the city of Samara got selected as one of the host cities of the World Cup. Preparatory works on site were launched in early 2014 and the official groundbreaking took place on July 21.

The Samara Arena is distinguished by the outer-space motifs incorporated into its design. The façade of the stadium is a transparent dome, which gives the impression of a flying saucer or a spaceship. This reflects Samara’s vital role in Russian and global space exploration.

The Cosmos Arena opened on 28 April 2018 with a league match between Krylia Sovetov and Fakel Voronezh, though it was still one of three test matches at limited capacity.

The most characteristic aspect of the Cosmos Arena is its 65.5 metres high dome roof, which is made up out of 32 panels. The arena boasts just under 45,000 seats, which are divided over two tiers.

The Cosmos Arena was initially planned to be built on the tip of a peninsula where the Samara and Volga rivers meet, however was moved to a site north of the city due to a lack of infrastructure.

Matches

The Samara Arena is hosting six games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ in Russia, including a Round-of-16 tie and a quarter-final match-up. Costa Rica kick off their tournament campaign here against Serbia on 17 June, while hosts Russia play their final group-stage match against Uruguay at the stadium on 25 June.

 

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Rostov Arena

Capacity	45 000
Country	Russia
City	Rostov-on-Don
Clubs	Fc Rostov
Inauguration	15/04/2018
Construction	2013-2017
Address	Rostov-on-Don, Rostov Oblast, Russia, 344002
Cost	330 million USD
Design	Populous

The Rostov Arena is a recently opened new stadium in the city of Rostov-on-Don that was built for the 2018 World Cup and will become the new home of FC Rostov.

The Rostov Arena is located on the south bank of the river Don not far from the centre of Rostov-on-Don. It’s an approximate 15-minute walk to the stadium from the foot of the bridge over the river Don near Rostov’s centre.

Plans for the new stadium became concrete when Russia got awarded the 2018 World Cup and Rostov-on-Don selected as a host city. The final design was chosen in December 2012 when Populous got selected as the architect.

First ground preparation works started in 2013, but it took until early 2015 for actual foundation works to start. By mid-2015 11,044 piles were installed and half the entire concrete (92,000 cubic meters) was poured to create the superstructure. The stadium was expected to be completed in 2017, but the opening got delayed to 2018. It officially opened on 15 April 2018 with a league match between Rostov and Khabarovsk.

After the World Cup, the stadium will be scaled down to a capacity of 25,000.

The design of the stadium is inspired by the ancient mounts of earth, Kurgans, that can be found in the region.

Matches
The Rostov Arena is set to host four matches in the group stage of Russia 2018, including the opening day encounter between Brazil and Switzerland. Also, the winners of Group G will face the runners-up of Group H in the Round of 16 in Rostov-on-Don.

World Cup 2018 Stadiums – Kaliningrad Stadium

Capacity	35 212
Country	Russia
City	Kaliningrad
Clubs	FC Baltika Kaliningrad
Inauguration	11/04/2018
Construction	09/2015 – 03/2018
Address	Solnechnyy Bul’var, Konigsberg, Kaliningradskaya oblast’, Russia, 236006
Cost	300 million USD
Contractor	Crocus Group

The new stadium was built on October Island, right in the heart of Kaliningrad. Having World Cup games in the city was the perfect excuse for local authorities to renovate the island, which had lain empty for many years and was not used for construction. After the tournament, an entire micro-district will be constructed around the stadium, including parks, a quay side and an embankment along the Pregolya River.

Construction of Kaliningrad Stadium started in September 2015, making it the last Russia World Cup to get under way. Delays had plagued the project, caused by financial difficulties and the bankruptcy of the company responsible for the design.

Initial plans had aimed for a capacity of 45,000 and a retractable roof, but these had to get scaled back to a simpler design with 35,000 seats, of which 10,000 will be removed after the World Cup.

Kaliningrad Stadium eventually opened on 11 April 2018 with a league match between FC Baltika and Krylia Sovetov (1-0).

Matches
The Kaliningrad Stadium is hosting four matches in the group stage of the World Cup this summer, starting with Croatia v Nigeria on 16 June. A match that promises to be one of the most exciting of the group stages – the heavyweight clash in Group G between England and Belgium – is also taking place at the venue on 28 June.