Soccer

World Cup 2018: Stadium guide and fixtures for each venue

A comprehensive look at the 12 stadiums hosting fixtures in Russia this summer

Fri Jun 08 2018 - 17:17

Luzhniki Stadium
Moscow
Capacity: 81,000
Luzhniki Stadium
This summer will see Russia’s national stadium become just the third in the world to complete a hat-trick of the World Cup final, European Cup final and a summer Olympics. Rebuilt for the 2018 tournament – the distinctive red and yellow seats which adorned the ground as Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties to win the Champions League in 2008 are gone – it reopened on November 11th 2017 as Argentina beat Russia 1-0 in a friendly.
Fixtures
June 14th 2018, 16:00: Group A – Russia v Saudi Arabia
June 17th 2018, 16:00: Group F – Germany v Mexico
June 20th 2018, 13:00: Group B – Portugal v Morocco
June 26th 2018, 15:00: Group C – Denmark v France
July 1st 2018, 13:00: Round of 16 – Winner B v Runner-up A
July 11th 2018, 19:00: Semi Final – Winner Match 59 v Winner Match 60
July 15th 2018, 16:00: Final - Winner Match 61 v Winner Match 62

Krestovsky Stadium
Saint Petersburg
Capacity: 68,134
Krestovsky Stadium
The swanky new home of Zenit St Petersburg, the Krestovsky Stadium arrived fashionably late, hosting its first domestic fixture in April 2017 – eight years after the original expected completion date of 2009. Based on the design of Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, who died in 2007, plans for the stadium – which cost around the €1 billion mark – had to be redrawn after Russia won the right to host the World Cup, in order to allow an increased capacity of 68,000.
Fixtures
June 15th 2018, 15:00: Group B – Morocco v Iran
June 19th 2018, 19:00: Group A - Russia v Egypt
June 22nd 2018, 13:00: Group E – Brazil v Costa Rica
June 26th 2018, 19:00: Group D – Nigeria v Argentina
July 3rd 2018, 15:00: Round of 16 - Winner F v Runner-up E
July 10th 2018, 19:00: Semi Final – Winner Match 57 v Winner Match 58
July 14th 2018, 15:00: Third Place – Loser Match 61 v Loser Match 62

Otkrytiye Arena
Moscow
Capacity: 45,360
Otkrytiye Arena
The home of Spartak Moscow has been open since 2014 – and was one of the four stadiums used for last summer's Confederations Cup. The ground beat Dynamo Moscow's VTB Arena for the role of Moscow's second World Cup venue, and VIP seats dominate one of the main stands. Has a 24.5 metre statue of the gladiator Spartacus outside – the inspiration for Spartak's name.
Fixtures
June 16th 2018, 14:00: Group D – Argentina v Iceland
June 19th 2018, 13:00: Group H – Poland v Senegal
June 23rd 2018, 13:00: Group B – Belgium v Tunisia
June 26th 2018, 15:00: Group C – Serbia v Brazil
July 3rd 2018, 19:00: Round of 16 – Winner H v Runner-up G

Kazan Arena
Kazan
Capacity: 45,379
Kazan Arena
Another of the host stadiums for the Confederations Cup, the Kazan Stadium was opened in 2013, when it held the opening and closing ceremonies of the Summer World University Games. Designed by the same firm behind the new Wembley and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, it also hosted the 2015 World Aquatics Stadium – although the swimming pools are now long gone.
Fixtures
June 16th 2018, 11:00: Group C – France v Australia
June 20th 2018, 19:00: Group B – Iran v Spain
June 24th 2018, 17:00: Group H – Poland v Colombia
June 27th 2018, 15:00: Group F – Korea Republic v Germany
June 30th 2018, 15:00: Round of 16 – Winner C v Runner-up D
July 6th 2018, 19:00: Quarter Final - Winner Match 53 v Winner Match 54

Samara Arena
Samara
Capacity: 44,918
Samara Arena
One of the grounds built specifically for this tournament, the Samara Arena looks as impressive as promised. The ground was originally meant to be located on an island to the south; however the lack of infrastructure – including a bridge leading to it – necessitated a move to the north of the city. According to Fifa, the design of the stadium is based on the theme of space – a nod to the area’s aerospace heritage.
Fixtures
June 17th 2018, 14:00: Group E – Costa Rica v Serbia
June 21st 2018, 17:00: Group C – Denmark v Australia
June 25th 2018, 16:00: Group A – Uruguay v Russia
June 28th 2018, 16:00: Group H – Senegal v Colombia
July 2nd 2018, 16:00: Round of 16 - Winner E v Runner-up F
July 7th 2018, 16:00: Quarter Final - Winner Match 55 v Winner Match 56

Kaliningrad Stadium
Kaliningrad
Capacity: 35,212
Kaliningrad Stadium
Kaliningrad is located away from mainland Russia, and sits between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. Construction of the stadium didn’t begin until September 2015, making it the last of the World Cup projects to get under way.
Fixtures
June 16th 2018, 20:00: Group D – Croatia v Nigeria
June 22nd 2018, 19:00: Group E – Serbia v Switzerland
June 25th 2018, 19:00: Group B – Spain v Morocco
June 28th 2018, 19:00: Group G – England v Belgium

Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Nizhny Novgorod
Capacity: 44,899
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Nizhny Novgorod is the closest of the World Cup venues to the hub of Moscow, lying just 400km to the east – which, in Russian terms, isn’t that far. The stadium’s design is supposedly inspired by two key aspects of nature in the Volga region – water and wind.
Fixtures
June 18th 2018, 13:00: Group F - Sweden v Korea Republic
June 21st 2018, 19:00: Group D – Argentina v Croatia
June 24th 2018, 13:00: Group G – England v Panama
June 27th 2018, 19:00: Group E – Switzerland v Costa Rica
July 1st 2018, 19:00: Round of 16 – Winner D v Runner-up C
July 6th 2018, 15:00: Quarter Final – Winner Match 49 v Winner Match 50

Volgograd Arena
Volgograd
Capacity: 45,568
Volgograd Arena
Originally built in 1962, the Central Stadium was renovated as recently as 2002 – but after being awarded the World Cup it was a case of out with the old, in with the new and the original ground was demolished. Located on the banks of the Volga River, the capacity will be reduced down to 35,000 after the tournament and it will become the new home of FC Rotor Volgograd.
Fixtures
June 18th 2018, 19:00: Group G - Tunisia v England
June 22nd 2018, 16:00: Group D - Nigeria v Iceland
June 25th 2018, 15:00: Group A – Saudi Arabia v Egypt
June 28th 2018, 13:00: Group H – Japan v Poland

Mordovia Arena
Saransk
Capacity: 45,015
Mordovia Arena
The Mordovia replaces the Start Stadium, which had a short lifespan after being built in 2004 – but with a capacity of 11,613 was always going to fall short of World Cup standards. The future home of FC Mordovia Saransk, the capacity will be heavily reduced by nearly 20,000 after this tournament.
Fixtures
June 16th 2018, 17:00: Group C – Peru v Denmark
June 19th 2018, 16:00: Group H – Colombia v Japan
June 25th 2018, 19:00: Group B – Iran v Portugal
June 28th 2018, 19:00: Group G – Panama v Tunisia

Rostov Arena
Rostov-on-Don
Capacity: 45,000
Rostov Arena
Completed only towards the end of last year, the new Rostov Arena is located on the south bank of the River Don. Like many of the stadiums being used for the finals, the construction of the ground was delayed – however not for the usual reasons. Indeed, in June 2013 when ground was being broken, five perfectly-preserved five World War II shells were found in the area where the foundations were supposed to go, causing a justified hold-up.
Fixtures
June 17th 2018, 19:00: Group E – Brazil v Switzerland
June 20th 2018, 16:00: Group A – Uruguay v Saudi Arabia
June 23rd 2018, 19:00: Group F – Korea Republic v Mexico
June 26th 2018, 19:00: Group D – Iceland v Croatia
July 2nd 2018, 19:00: Round of 16 – Winner G v Runner-up H

Fisht Olympic Stadium
Sochi
Capacity: 47,659
Fisht Olympic Stadium
The Fisht Olympic Stadium was originally built for the 2014 Winter Olympics – but has since been converted into an open air facility in order to host football games this summer. The areas of the ground used for the opening and closing ceremonies in 2014 have been replaced by temporary stands. Another stadium used for the Confederations Cup.
Fixtures
June 15th 2018, 19:00: Group B – Portugal v Spain
June 18th 2018, 16:00: Group G – Belgium v Panama
June 23rd 2018, 16:00: Group F – Germany v Sweden
June 26th 2018, 15:00: Group C – Australia v Peru
June 30th 2018, 19:00: Round of 16 – Winner A v Runner-up B
July 7th 2018, 19:00: Quarter Final - Winner Match 51 v Winner Match 52

Ekaterinburg Arena
Yekaterinburg
Capacity: 35,000
Ekaterinburg Arena
Yekaterinburg is the fourth-largest city in Russia, and the furthest east of the host cities being used for the World Cup. The stadium was going to fall short of the minimum 35,000 capacity required by Fifa. However, this problem has been easily sidestepped by adding 12,000 temporary seats outside of the ground itself.
Fixtures
June 15th 2018, 15:00: Group A – Egypt v Uruguay
June 21st 2018, 15:00: Group C – France v Peru
June 24th 2018, 18:00: Group H - Japan v Senegal
June 27th 2018, 17:00: Group F - Mexico v Sweden

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