Where are World Cup matches held? History of the World Cup. Where will the championship be held: cities and stadiums

The Mundial, which will be hosted by Russia in 2018, will be the 21st among the FIFA World Cups. This significant event for the sports community will be held from June 14 to July 15, providing a whole month of celebration for all football fans. Of course, the mission to be the host country of the World Cup is not only very honorable, but also very responsible.

Russia will not only host one of the most significant world football events for the first time, but will also become a pioneer among all countries of the Eastern European region. There is only one conclusion from the above - the preparation will require a significant infusion of effort, time and, of course, finances, especially since the scale of the event is very serious, and viewers from all over the world will follow it.

The championship will be hosted by 12 stadiums located in 11 cities of the country. The management of the stadiums is already trying with might and main to ensure the proper level of holding a grandiose event. Let's find out which cities will become the locations of the most spectacular football battles, as well as conduct a little monitoring of how ready they are to realize this honorable task.

How was the host country chosen?

Let's dive into history first. Back in 2009, FIFA announced that 9 applications would take part in the fight for the title of the next Mundial location. The Australians, the British, Indonesians, Mexicans, Russians, representatives of the United States, Japanese, Portuguese and Spaniards who submitted a joint application, as well as a tandem of the Belgians and the Dutch, were marked as the main contenders.

A little later, representatives of the Asian, American regions and Australia dropped out of the race after a FIFA statement containing information about the rotation of the continents. At the beginning of 2010, it was announced that this time Russia was chosen as the host country of the World Cup, which managed to get more than 50% of the votes according to the results of the voting.

How were the cities chosen?

After receiving the good news, the selection of cities that could become locations for the 2018 World Cup matches began. FIFA requirements in this regard are very strict. After a long debate, the list of cities began to consist of Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Sochi, Kaliningrad, Rostov-on-Don, Volgograd, Samara, Saransk and Yekaterinburg. Let's find out what preparatory work has been carried out to date, and what else needs to be brought into line with the requirements of the organizers.

Volgograd

The project of the arena "Victory" in Volgograd, prepared for the 2018 World Cup

In preparation for the matches of the World Cup, it is planned to implement 39 major projects. Among them:

• construction of a covered and heated sports arena capable of accommodating 45,000 fans;
• arrangement of three training grounds, the bases for which were chosen as the Academy of Physical Culture and Sports, the sports complex "Olympia" and the stadium "Zenith";
• overhaul of the hospital, including the arrangement of a platform for helicopters;
• construction of 11 hotels;
• reconstruction of the old and construction of a new road surface, which should cover a distance of 280 kilometers;
• purchase of two hundred low-floor buses;
• carrying out works on the reconstruction of urban communications;
• work on the bank protection of the Volga embankment;
• reconstruction of engineering communications;
• carrying out work on the construction of a new runway and the modernization of airport facilities.

Preliminary calculations showed that in order to implement the planned activities, the city needs to have an amount equal to 17 billion rubles, most of them (about 15.8 billion) will be provided by the budget of the Russian Federation, each region will take on 730 million, and the rest will be invested by private organizations. At the same time, it is planned to build new hotels at the expense of private traders. Presumably, it will cost about 9 billion rubles.

Some of the planned projects are already ready. The Hampton by Hilton Volgograd Profsoyuznaya and Park Inn by Radisson hotels were put into operation, work is underway to improve the road surface, and the highway is being expanded. Since the spring of 2015, construction work has been underway to build a new Pobeda sports arena, for which the funds allocated from the budget of the Russian Federation will go.

Ekaterinburg

Proposed changes to the Central Stadium for the 2018 World Cup

This city will be the easternmost location of the 2018 World Cup. The games will be held at the Tsentralny stadium modernized according to FIFA requirements. In total, about 35 billion rubles will be needed to finance the “preparatory” needs, more than 60% of which will be allocated by the regional budget, 12% of the necessary funds will be directed from the federal budget, the local budget will be able to finance 2% of the costs, and the rest will be received from private investors. The preparation of the city for this significant event will take place according to the plan:

• about one and a half billion rubles will be spent on the construction and modernization of venues for training and matches;
• a billion rubles will be spent on medical purposes, providing for the necessary repairs, the purchase of new equipment and resuscitation vehicles;
• the city is going to build more than 20 new hotels;
• it is planned to reconstruct 5 overpasses and build 11 road junctions;
• to improve the environmental situation, 19 stations will be built to provide clean air;
• city ​​authorities are going to buy more than 180 buses, 90 trams and almost 30 trolleybuses, as well as equip bus stops with electronic displays.

Today in Yekaterinburg the stadium is being reconstructed, promising that it will become more comfortable with the preserved historical facade of the building. These works should be completed by May 2017 and will cost the city 12.8 billion rubles. In addition, work was carried out to reconstruct the terminal of the international airport, but the terminal itself and the new parking near it are not yet ready.

The previously planned budget for the reconstruction of sports grounds for training has been reduced, so Yekaterinburg will only host games group stage World Cup For this, the stadium of the SC "Ural" was reconstructed and the modernization of "Kalininets" and "Khimmash" began. Among the important projects that have yet to be implemented, it is necessary to mention the arrangement of the fan zone in the TsPKiO im. Mayakovsky. The authorities are also stepping up the study foreign languages volunteers, call center workers and taxi drivers.

Kazan

The Kazan Arena stadium has already been built and is ready for the 2018 World Cup

This city is not without reason considered one of the most sporting in Russia. During recent years a wide variety of competitions and championships have been repeatedly held here - from water sports before the Universiade. This greatly facilitates the preparation for the 2018 World Cup, because in Kazan, many sports facilities are already ready. Among the main advantages of Kazan it is worth noting:

• the presence of a modern four-tiered Kazan Arena stadium, which can accommodate more than 45,000 fans;
• the presence of a huge number of hotels, including network ones;
• good transport infrastructure, including an airport capable of handling up to 2.4 million passengers.

However, the city still has several important projects to implement before the start of the championship. These include:

• construction of 2 new sports bases for training;
• arrangement of a zone for fans on the square near the Wedding Palace;
• construction of apart-hotels for the judiciary;
• carrying out modernization work at the airport in the form of the construction of a VIP terminal for guests of the state of emergency-2018.

Unfortunately, the crisis is forcing the authorities to tighten their belts and abandon the project to build a new station to serve the Moscow-Kazan route.

Kaliningrad

A very modest amount was allocated for the construction of the arena in Kaliningrad

Kaliningrad needed serious preparation to be able to reach the level of other cities hosting the 2018 World Cup. The most necessary activities include:

• construction of a new stadium for 45,000 fans. Initially, it was planned to build an innovative arena with a retractable roof on Oktyabrsky Island, having concluded a contract with foreign contractors. However, the overly ambitious plans had to be abandoned: the authorities came to the conclusion that spending 850 million rubles on the stadium would be prohibitively expensive. As a result, we decided to reduce the number of seats by 10 thousand and abandon the retractable roof, pools and additional gyms. Only in 2015 were all the necessary estimates and projects approved;
• the construction of three new bases for training and the reconstruction of Pioner, Selma and Lokomotiv - stadiums that already exist in the city;
• an increase in the number of hotels. In this direction, it is planned to build 20 hotels, but the crisis forced us to take measures to save money - most of them will have no more than 4 stars;
• reconstruction of the historical center of the city. Initially, large-scale work was planned to improve the view of the central part of Kaliningrad, but in the end they came to the decision that it would be enough just to update the facades of buildings;
• updating the technical composition of transport;
• road repair;
• airport modernization.

To date, the city still remains among the lagging behind, so only 4 group stage matches are scheduled to be held here.

Moscow

The concept of the renovated Luzhniki stadium for the 2018 World Cup

Of course, from the very beginning of the implementation of the plan to prepare Russian cities for the 2018 World Cup, the capital has been in the first place, because sporting events are constantly held here high level. Nevertheless, the main city of the country should look worthy in the eyes of the world sports community, so even today the scope of work remains very extensive. The plan for preparing the capital for the World Cup includes the following items:

• modernization of the Luzhniki stadium, which will become the arena for the first and final matches world football tournament. Undoubtedly, Luzhniki already now meet the highest qualification requirements, it was not for nothing that back in 2008 they were awarded the status of "elite" according to the UEFA system. Nevertheless, they decided to make the stadium even better - an investment of 350 million euros will allow changing the turf to natural, modernizing the ventilation systems and increasing the number of seats to 81,000, which will allow Luzhniki to claim the status of the best European sports complex. Another main stadium of the capital, Spartak, is already ready to accommodate 45,000 fans. Both stadiums in Moscow will become the main locations for not only the opening match and the final football battle, but will also host 7 group stage games, two matches of the 1/8 finals and a semi-final game;
• the entire territory of Moscow will be covered by Wi-Fi. According to the statements of the organizing committee for the preparation of the capital for the 2018 World Cup, active negotiations are underway with operator companies on this issue, because guests, media representatives and local football fans will need excellent communication in order to quickly transfer huge arrays of videos and photos from the scene;
• most of the street names, signs, logistic tables and illuminated information boards in the metro will receive duplication of inscriptions on English language. To secure the guests, they will be offered to download the most detailed electronic atlas of the capital, which is currently under development;
• not every guest of the 2018 World Cup is able to rent a room in expensive metropolitan hotels, so a “football village” is being set up for fans, capable of providing economy class housing to about 15 thousand fans. Moreover, these will not be just houses for living, but a well-maintained place near the embankment with recreation areas, jogging and bicycle paths.

Presumably, carrying out all the activities to prepare the capital for the World Cup will require investments in the amount of 155 billion rubles, most of which will be spent on the reconstruction of stadiums and repair of the road surface.

Nizhny Novgorod

The concept of the stadium in Nizhny Novgorod for the 2018 World Cup

The authorities report that the city is preparing to host the 2018 World Cup according to the planned plan, which includes the following items:

• construction of the Volga Arena, capable of accommodating 45,000 fans. The work related to the preparation of the foundation was completed back in 2015, last year was spent on the construction of tiered structures and the assembly of metal supports, in 2017 the contractor must complete the laying of the coating, bring communications and improve the territory. In parallel with these works, a tunnel will be laid for a new metro station, which will allow access to the venue of the matches;
• introduction of a new waste sorting system. The city authorities organized the installation of special containers for waste different types(glass, paper, food waste, plastic). In parallel with this, work is underway to weld the garbage chutes existing in the houses;
• The city has many high-end chain hotels, including the Hilton, Kempinski, Marriott and Park Inn. Initially, the list was planned to be supplemented with new hotels in the number of 25 pieces. Nevertheless, the crisis forced the authorities to reconsider the distribution of investments - the city can make do with existing hotels, identifying suitable ones in terms of comfort level and class;
• the fleet will be renewed by purchasing four dozen new buses and increasing the number of metro trains to 29;
• construction of a building of a modern customs complex.

As for the cost of the announced projects, the city will have to receive about 17 billion rubles for their implementation, most of this amount (15.8 billion rubles) will be allocated by the federal budget, about 754 million will be promised by the regional authorities, the rest of the costs will be covered by private investments .

The gross part of the costs will have to be invested in the construction of the stadium - these works are estimated at about 5 billion rubles. The development of the subway will cost about 885 million, the modernization of the hotel complex will cost 637 million in national currency. The city will host four games of the Mundial group stage. In addition, they talk about the possibility of holding 1/8 and 1/4 final football battles.

Rostov-on-Don

Sports arena project in Rostov-on-Don

After the final list of cities hosting the 2018 World Cup games was approved, the authorities of Rostov-on-Don began to develop a plan of necessary measures. Literally at the end of 2015, this list began to be implemented in the context of individual projects, which include:

• construction of a new sports arena that can accommodate 45,000 fans. The arena will require funding in the amount of 19.3 billion rubles. After the end of the World Cup, it will become a location for the games of the local football club Rostov. According to the current state of affairs, the work is proceeding according to schedule - the contractor promises to hand over the stadium by the fall of 2017. The Lokomotiv stadium, which is currently undergoing a complete modernization, will be allocated as a base for training;
• checking the state of the hotel infrastructure, building new hotels and improving the comfort of old ones. By the beginning of the 2018 World Cup, the number of rooms will be approximately 8 thousand rooms, which will accommodate everyone who wants to cheer for the teams, as well as the refereeing staff and media representatives;
• construction of a new airport and Yuzhny logistics complex, which will be built according to the latest technical solutions. This construction will require investments in the amount of 37 billion rubles;
• reconstruction of the city embankment, creation of new parking lots, bicycle paths, as well as duplication of city information in English.

Samara

The construction of the Samara Arena is accompanied by constant scandals

This city is the most heard by the public. Unfortunately, not because of the excellent pace of preparation, but because of the scandals. The initially conceived project amazed the imagination with the declared technical solutions. The first developer to contract undertook a project that included an ultra-modern infrared heating system for 45,000 seats, a lawn heating system and 12,000 VIP seats in a sports complex that was supposed to occupy 930 hectares of area!

Nevertheless, plans collapsed one after another: first, they changed the location, since the arrow of the Volga and Samara was located at a considerable distance from the city's infrastructure. Then the budget began to grow rapidly. The developer company kept asking for additional financing, and the amounts increased from 13 to 18.2 billion rubles.

In the process of monitoring, it turned out that approximately 40% of the object consists of commercial areas, which have little relation to the functions of the tadion. The city authorities decided to terminate the contract with PSO Kazan, replacing the company with a new contractor who will have to meet the reduced budget. The FIFA Commission has not yet made sharp conclusions. It is stated that, in general, what she sees satisfies her, but the question of Samara's readiness to host the 2018 World Cup remains open. In addition to this project, the city is implementing:

• installation of a new tramway connecting sports facilities with the railway station building. The work on the implementation of the new plan for passenger transportation, the laying of power lines and the laying of the canvas are estimated as a whole at 21 billion rubles;
• work on the modernization of berths and the fleet of ships, which will eventually provide tourists with leisure activities. According to the plan of the mayors, the Frunzensky bridge will have to be built over the Volga, which will allow direct access from Samara to Novokuibyshevsk;
• construction of an air terminal in Kurumoch, which will enable the airport to handle up to 40 million passengers a year.

Saint Petersburg

"Zenith Arena" in St. Petersburg is almost completed - internal work is underway

Northern Palmyra, like Moscow, belongs to the category of cities that have quite a decent base for hosting the 2018 World Cup. The city, which is visited annually by hundreds of thousands of tourists, is almost completely equipped with signs in English, has ready-made electronic circuits for visitors, and is characterized by excellent transport and hotel infrastructure. Nevertheless, the preparation plan for the World Cup provides for several important activities, which include:

• completion of the construction of the Zenith Arena on Krestovsky Island. This project belongs to the category of very protracted ones - the expensive stadium was built for more than one year, constantly pushing back the deadlines for commissioning. The 2018 World Cup forced to speed up the construction of the sports complex. Nevertheless, it was not without delays again - the final date was May 27, 2016, but only at the end of December it was decided to put the arena into operation. Today, landscaping work is being carried out around it, and interior decoration has finally begun. They promise to demonstrate the final readiness of the facility at the Confederations Cup in early June 2018. By the same date, a pedestrian-vehicle bridge will be ready, which will connect the facility directly with Yakhtennaya Street;
• carrying out activities for the development of the hotel business. Most of the hotels in St. Petersburg are quite expensive, but there are frankly not enough hotels with 2-3 stars. In this regard, the mayors decided to build a couple of dozen hotels of economy class;
• modernization of the air communication system in Pulkovo in order to create comfortable conditions for fans moving through the territory of Russia. Both terminals will be connected by a glass walkway so that fans arriving on domestic and international flights can move freely between them;
• as part of the improvement of the transport infrastructure from the airport to the city, it is planned to launch an aeroexpress train.

As a result, the total investment required to carry out all the preparatory activities is estimated at about 95 billion rubles, and about half of them will be "eaten" by the construction of the Zenit Arena.

Saransk

Saransk stadium began to be built in 2011 and is almost ready

Of the entire list of cities, Saransk is the smallest, which gives rise to a significant number of problems. The city, which definitely cannot be called the tourist Mecca of Russia, is characterized by an underdeveloped transport and hotel infrastructure, which will require serious financial investments. The main preparations for the 2018 World Cup are as follows:

• improvement of the air traffic situation. FIFA requirements say that the airport of the city hosting the Mundial matches should have a capacity of 1365 people per hour, and the air gates of Saransk could only provide passage for 275 passengers. However, it is not advisable to build a new building in the city, therefore, for the duration of the World Cup, they will simply add another temporary terminal here, which will be dismantled at the end of this sporting event;
• completion of the construction of the stadium. The Saransk arena began to be built even before it became known that the main world football competition would be held in Russia. Work on the construction of the stadium was carried out at a very leisurely pace, and for some time they were generally frozen. With the start of preparations for the World Cup, construction has gone at a rapid pace - today the project is almost ready, it remains to supplement the arena with parking lots, trading floors and new hotels. In addition, two additional training bases are being built;
• improving the state of the hotel infrastructure, for which the leadership of Saransk signed an agreement with the British company Snoozebox, which will supply mobile hotels in the city. The construction of a new number of rooms is completely unprofitable for the city, since after the end of the period of matches they will definitely stand empty. Modular collapsible hotels can have thousands of rooms, include a bar and restaurant with TV screens;
• reconstruction of the roadbed and creation of a green zone in the form of a landscape park.

Sochi

Fisht stadium in Sochi is undergoing reconstruction

Sochi can safely claim the title of a unique city in the list of those who are preparing to host the World Cup games. Only in it all the objects of tourist and sports infrastructure are completely ready, so the amount of investment, in comparison with other locations, is more than modest - about 2.3 billion rubles will be required. The city will host four matches of the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, as well as two games of the 1/8 and 1/4 finals of the World Cup.

Of course, some work to improve existing facilities is still planned. For example, the Fisht Arena, which was built for the 2014 Olympic Games, will be reconstructed. The sports facility was not then conceived as a football stadium, so a small upgrade is needed to accommodate another 5,000 spectators in addition to the existing 40,000 seats.

At the end of 2010, all Russian football fans rejoiced - a vote was held in Zurich, as a result of which Russia was chosen as the host country of the 21st FIFA World Cup. From our article, you will find out: on which day the start of the World Cup is scheduled, in which cities and at which stadiums football matches in a word, know everything last news about the 2018 World Cup from Russian and foreign media.

Where will the 2018 FIFA World Cup be held

We note right away that the final part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held on the territory. This honor falls to our country for the first time in history. In addition, the championship will be held simultaneously for the first time on the European and Asian parts of the globe, as well as on the territory of the former Soviet Union. Of course, such news caused a huge response among both ordinary citizens and the Government of the Russian Federation.

In addition to Russia, such countries as Great Britain, Spain, as well as Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, etc. fought for the championship and holding the championship on their territory.

Cities and stadiums of the World Cup 2018

As a result of the commission's decision International Federation football, active preparations for the championship began in Russia. At the first stage, it was determined in which cities the competitions could take place. The list includes 11 Russian cities with corresponding sports complexes and stadiums where football matches will take place:

Moscow: Spartak, Luzhniki;
St. Petersburg: Zenit Arena;
Kazan: Kazan Arena;
Sochi: "Fisht";
Volgograd: "Victory";
Rostov-on-Don: "Victory";
Samara: "Cosmos Arena";
Saransk: "Mordovia-Arena";
Nizhny Novgorod: "Nizhny Novgorod";
Yekaterinburg: "Central";
Kaliningrad: "Kaliningrad".

The most spacious stadiums listed are: Luzhniki, Zenit Arena, Kazan Arena and Spartak. Some stadiums are already ready for the championships, but most of them are planned to be put into operation in 2017. Some of them are replanned and reconstructed, some are built from scratch and exclusively for the championship. FIFA puts forward strict requirements that all facilities must meet.

Dates of the 2018 World Cup

The final stage of the games will be held on the territory of the Russian Federation from June 14 to July 15, 2018. The opening of the world championship will be held in Moscow, the final game will also be held in the capital of the Russian Federation.

1/8 finals:
June 30 - Sochi;
June 30 - Kazan;
July 1 - Moscow;
July 1 - Nizhny Novgorod;
2.07 - Samara;
2.07 - Rostov-on-Don;
03.07 - St. Petersburg;
July 3 - Moscow.

1/4 finals:
July 6 - Nizhny Novgorod;
July 6 - Kazan;
July 7 - Sochi;
7.08 - Samara;

The final:
For the third place: July 14 - St. Petersburg;
For the first and second place: July 15 - Moscow.

Mascot and emblem of the World Cup

According to the popular vote, the mascot of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will be the wolf Zabivaka.

The emblem is a complex combination of the traditional FIFA Cup, the starry sky, personifying the cosmos, iconography and love for football.

See also: what else will be celebrated in Russia in 2018.

FIFA World Cup in Russia: Match Schedule - a section that allows all football fans to freely navigate the calendar of matches of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and be aware of all the necessary information on any of them. That is, you will never be late for a match or watching it, and you will know in advance which the game will pass.

If desired or necessary, in the same section, everyone will be able to find all the information on each match of the tournament. To do this, it will be enough to click on any game in 2018 World Championship calendar.

Inside each match before the game, you will be able to find the names of the refereeing team and familiarize yourself with indicative lineups for the match, or he can offer his own vision of the game and discuss it in a chat with other football fans. As the game progresses, you will have access to a text broadcast of each match, which will always be available and will not go anywhere after the meeting. After the game, you will also be able to find out the authors of the goals and those who chalked up cards or other effective actions worthy of the meeting protocol. Also, within each match, all relevant news on it will be available - which preceded the meeting or appeared after its results.

FIFA World Cup 2018 dates

12 stadiums in 11 Russian cities will host matches of this summer's main event. The dates for the 2018 FIFA World Cup have long been set. Most football fans have long marked key dates on the calendar. Someone will see the matches from the stadium, and millions of people around the world will follow the 2018 World Cup on TV.

If you are not very often interested in football, then remember: the opening date of the 2018 FIFA World Cup is June 14th. On this day, the Russian national team will open the tournament with a match against Saudi Arabia in Luzhniki. Russia will play the rest of its matches in the group at the World Cup on June 19 and 25 - with Egypt and Uruguay.

This and other dates of the 2018 FIFA World Cup can be viewed in our table - choose the matches of specific groups or the entire group stage. In the course of the tournament, the table will be updated when the participants in specific playoff matches become known.

It is also important to know the start date of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and other days of matches of the Russian national team due to the fresh initiative of Igor Lebedev, Vice Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The deputy proposes to make the days of matches of the Russian team days off for the whole country.

Key dates for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

• June 14 – opening match at Luzhniki
• June 14-28 - group stage matches
• June 30 - start of playoffs
• July 10 and 11 - 1/2 final matches
• July 14 - match for 3rd place
• July 15 - final

For the first time in history, Russia hosts the World Cup, which will be held from June 14 to July 15, 2018 in eleven cities of the country. World championship matches will be held at twelve stadiums. Football teams from 32 countries intend to compete for victory in the world championship. When the opening ceremony of the tournament will be held, what fans and sports fans need to know about the restrictions and who is predicted to win the world championship title - about this in the material FBA "Economy Today".

Russia has become the first among all Eastern European countries to host a world-class sports tournament in 2018. This was preceded by extensive preparations: new stadiums were built, athletic facilities and infrastructure facilities, transport hubs were reconstructed, new highways were laid. Russia successfully coped with the tasks set, and today everything is ready for the meeting, which will take place over the course of a month.

Teams of Iceland and Panama will take part in the World Cup for the first time. The Italian team does not participate in the current World Cup 2018. The official logo of the tournament was introduced back in 2014. The wolf Zabivak became the mascot of the 2018 World Cup, and the composition called Colors by Jason Derulo was chosen as the anthem of the World Cup.

2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony

On June 14, the opening ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow. The organizers promise that it will be a grandiose and unforgettable show with elements of sports and national flavor. It is clear that all the details of the event are kept secret, but there are suggestions that, which previously appeared on the Web, will be performed by singers who will come to the Russian capital specifically for this. It is expected that fans who came to the opening match of the World Cup will hear American actor Will Smith, singer Nicky Jam, American musician Diplo and Albanian performer Era Istrefi. The opening ceremony will begin about half an hour before the match at Luzhniki. A short but colorful show will be broadcast by federal TV channels. After the ceremony, the teams of Russia and Saudi Arabia will take to the field. at 18:00.

FIFA World Cup 2018: when matches start

Football championship matches will be held in eleven cities of Russia - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don, Saransk, Volgograd, Kaliningrad and Yekaterinburg. 32 teams participate in the tournament, which are divided equally into eight groups. The final game will be held in Moscow on July 15. The closing ceremony of the championship will also take place here.

As follows from the tournament schedule, the group stage matches will start at 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 Moscow time, while the final meetings in the groups will be held at 17:00 and 21:00 Moscow time. The quarter-final games start at 17:00 and 21:00 Moscow time, and the semi-finals will start at 21:00. The match for the third place starts at 17:00.

World Cup 2018: what fans and supporters need to know

During the period of the football championship in Russia, some restrictions and prohibitions have been introduced, which will be valid until July 25 inclusive.

So, in the cities where the matches will be held, a ban on the sale of alcohol is introduced - you can’t buy alcohol in a two-kilometer zone around the stadium.

During the 2018 World Cup, shooting galleries and stores with ammunition and weapons will not work, and restrictions for hunters have also been introduced. For example, when you try to go hunting with your gun, the employees of the Russian Guard have the right to seize the gun (it will be returned to the owner after the 2018 World Cup).

Selfie lovers will also face restrictions: they will not be allowed into stadiums with selfie sticks, camera tripods and even umbrellas if their length exceeds 25 centimeters.

Who will win the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Who will win the 2018 World Cup? This question worries everyone. Six national teams are among the main favorites of the World Cup. Five - Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Germany and France - have previously won the league title. One more applicant - Belgium - bookmakers consider as the real new owner of the World Cup. At least the team has every chance of success.

There is another trend that bookmakers remind of. Thus, the World Championships, which are held in Europe, are most often won by European teams. And the victory in the world championships held outside Europe usually went to teams from South America.

Domestic football fans could hardly believe that someday the world football championship could take place here. However, a miracle happened. In December 2010, in Zurich, at the ceremony of electing the host country of the twenty-first World Cup, Russia was chosen by a majority vote of members of the FIFA executive committee. A little later, the cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup were announced.

Since then, a lot has happened in the world of sports: the triumphant Olympics in Sochi for our team, and doping scandals with the suspension of many Russian athletes from participating in international competitions, and in connection with this, the attacks of Western sports functionaries on our sport in general. It must be admitted that there is no smoke without fire, there are problems with doping, but everyone has them ... Nevertheless, only our athletes are totally pressed. From time to time there are rumors that Russia may be deprived of the right to host the championship, or the tournament is boycotted by individual countries, among which are called England, the USA, Ukraine.

Well, let's wait and see. Despite the difficulties of an economic and political nature, Russia is systematically preparing for an important sporting event, which will take place from June 14 to July 15 next year. Recall that the tournament of this magnitude will be held in the Eastern European region for the first time.

Not everyone was happy

Literally immediately after the joyful news that we would host the championship, it was decided where it would take place. Initially, the list included 13 geographical points. Unfortunately, according to the requirements of FIFA, it was necessary to reduce the number of participants. Here are the cities of the World Cup 2018 (list of cities):

1. Volgograd;
2. Ekaterinburg;
3. Kazan;
4. Kaliningrad;
5. Moscow;
6. N. Novgorod;
7. Petersburg;
8. Samara;
9. Saransk;
10. Sochi;
11. Rostov-on-Don.

The football holiday was deprived of residents of Krasnodar and Yaroslavl. The choice of FIFA was made on the basis of a study of the report of the Russian organizing committee. In favor of this or that city was the level of its development, the ability to attract investment and the possibility of efficient use of facilities after the tournament. In the spring of 2012, a special inspection tour was organized by FIFA. During it, the inspectors toured Russia, visited completed stadiums and construction sites for future facilities, saw the sights of settlements, met with the heads of cities and regions. The conclusions were made appropriate (see the list above).

The obvious leaders in this unspoken competition were initially recognized by both capitals - the official and northern ones, as well as Kazan and Sochi - as cities with experience in hosting large-scale competitions (Olympics, Universiade).

Moscow, as expected, received the opening match and the final at Luzhniki, while St. Petersburg received one of the semi-finals, plus the tournament draw.

Cities of the 2018 World Cup

Well, let's take a walk through all the settlements in the same alphabetical order and delve into the current problems.

Volgograd

From the very beginning, the leaders of Russian sports had no doubts that Volgograd should host championship matches. Although it will be necessary to invest heavily in the development of infrastructure here. But now it's in full swing:

• construction of a covered arena with stands for 45 thousand people,
• arrangement of training grounds,
• hospital renovation,
• construction of eleven hotels,
• road reconstruction,
• restoration of urban communications and the embankment,
• airport modernization.

The works are invested from the federal budget and by private individuals. Many projects are already ready for operation.

Ekaterinburg

This city in the Urals has already hosted the finals of the Russian Cup and home matches of the youth team, but this cannot be compared with such a grandiose tournament as the World Cup. In Yekaterinburg, the hotel chain is already well developed, the international airport "Koltsovo" is functioning.

But still the city needs:

• build several new hotels,
• to reconstruct the stadium "Ural",
• upgrade training bases,
• refurbish medical facilities
• build about two dozen new hotels,
• deal with the arrangement of overpasses and road junctions,
• upgrade urban transport.

Kazan

Important sports facilities and infrastructure have already been built in the capital of Tatarstan, which have been operating since the Universiade-2013. But there is no limit to perfection. Therefore, now brought to mind:

• two sports bases for training,
• fan zone on the square near the Wedding Palace,
• hotels for judges,
• terminal for VIP-persons at the airport.

But today in the arsenal of the republic there is a magnificent stadium - Kazan Arena for 45 thousand spectators, many world-class hotels and a modern transport base.

Kaliningrad

Specially included in the list of cities for the World Cup 2018 due to its location, because tourists from the Baltic States, Germany, Poland can quickly come here.

At the same time, the city will have to carry out serious preparations in order to reach the level necessary for holding such a high-profile competition. Among the necessary activities, we note the following:

• construction of a new stadium for 45 thousand seats and reconstruction of the former ones,
• construction of bases for training,
• opening of 20 hotels,
• reconstruction of the historical center,
• pavement repair,
• renovation of building and transport facades,
• airport modernization.

Kaliningrad is scheduled to host four group stage matches.

Moscow

In addition to the legendary Luzhniki, which hosted the 1980 Olympics and the Champions League final, it was necessary to choose between two stadiums: the finished Otkritie Arena and the Dynamo under construction. As a result, the choice fell on the "red-white" object, as already tested in practice.

It is not the first time for Moscow to organize major sports events, there is experience. But still, the scope of work remains extensive. The opening and closing of the tournament, 7 games in groups, two matches of the 1/8 finals and one semi-final will take place here. The plan is to do:

• modernization of Luzhniki
• street design with the installation of signs and illuminated information boards,
• arrangement of the "football village" as an alternative to expensive apartments in the capital's hotels,
• organize additional recreation areas.

Nizhny Novgorod

Predictably, Nizhny Novgorod got into the cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup participants. Firstly, because of its location, and secondly, thanks to the theoretical developments presented to the FIFA inspection. True, the city authorities could not find a contractor for the construction of the stadium for a long time, and then the approved company did not start construction work for a long time. Now everything is back to normal. Work is underway in the city according to the approved plan:

• construction of the Volga Arena for 45 thousand,
• tunneling of a new metro station,
• implementation of a waste sorting system,
• construction of chain hotels,
• fleet renewal,
• construction of a modernized customs house.

Both public and private funds will be invested in the projects. Nizhny Novgorod residents will be able to watch four games in groups. It is possible that the matches of 1/8 and 1/4 finals will also be held here.

Rostov-on-Don

The homeland of the 1960 European champion Viktor Ponedelnik was bound to host the World Cup matches. The Rostov leadership carefully developed a plan of preparatory measures. According to it, such works as:

• construction of a stadium for 45 thousand,
• improvement of the hotel infrastructure along with the construction of new hotels and the reconstruction of old ones,
• arrangement of a new airport and the Yuzhny logistics complex,
• reconstruction of the city embankment,
• creation of modern car parks, bike paths.

Samara

Samara's problems with infrastructure aroused the concern of FIFA inspectors, but after listening to the report of representatives of the city authorities, all questions disappeared.

Nevertheless, preparations are being made with a creak and an abundance of scandals. The Samara Arena project initially struck the imagination with its announced solutions. But the builders let us down. Plans changed with frightening speed, and the construction budget grew. Over time, it turned out that 40 percent of the object is commercial premises that are not related to the stadium. Thank God that the FIFA commission does not make hasty conclusions. In general, the readiness of Samara is not highly rated. Be that as it may, the city is implementing:

• installation of a tramway connecting sports grounds with the railway station,
• modernization of berths and ship park,
• construction of a modern terminal at the airport.

Saint Petersburg

Northern Palmyra, like Moscow, for obvious reasons, stands out among the cities hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup - after all, the two main metropolitan areas of the country! However, the epic with the construction and commissioning of the arena on Krestovsky Island has not yet ended in St. Petersburg. The stadium seems to be ready, football matches are already being held on it, but the lawn is far from ideal, finishing work has not been completed in some places. The construction of the "Zenith" arena has already become a byword. The foundation pit for the facility was dug in 2007, the arena's completion dates were repeatedly postponed, the budget swelled by leaps and bounds ... This is the most expensive long-term construction in the world!

Meanwhile, the base in St. Petersburg, as well as in Moscow, is excellent, the funding is more than exhaustive. The city receives several hundred thousand tourists every year, so it is almost ready to receive guests at the football forum, if not for the stadium ... We hope that this long-suffering construction will be completed by the Confederations Cup, otherwise it would be completely embarrassing. Everything is in order with the transport and hotel infrastructure in the city. The plan is to do the following:

• to complete the pedestrian-vehicle bridge connecting the St. Petersburg Arena with Yakhtennaya Street,
• build cheap hotels,
• upgrade Pulkovo airport,
• run from the airport to the city by aeroexpress.

Saransk

The main surprise in the list of "championship" cities was the presence of Saransk. It is difficult to say why it was preferred to Krasnoyarsk, but the fact remains. Perhaps in favor of Saransk is the fact that it is one of the largest sports centers in the Volga region.

There are a lot of problems here. The city, although the capital of republican significance, is not too big by Russian standards. The level of service in the city and the state of sports facilities leave much to be desired.

Before the start of the championship you need to have time:

• improve the situation with the airport (add a temporary terminal),
• finish the construction of a new stadium (it was started to be built before the news that the 2018 World Cup would be held in Russia, construction was frozen more than once),
• organize two training bases,
• establish mobile hotels in the city,
• reconstruct roads and work on the landscape.

Sochi

The Olympics were hosted here and, one might say, they became adept at this kind of business. The infrastructure has been preserved in excellent condition since 2014, the tourist and sports infrastructure facilities are fully prepared compared to other cities. Sochi will host four group stage matches and two matches of the 1/8 and 1/4 finals.

However, this is also planned:

• reconstruction of the arena "Fisht",
• creation of several training grounds,
• improving the quality of the road surface,
• auditing boarding houses and hotels.