A year later, Russia will open its doors to the world, to hold the first in its history the world Cup. By the time she will need to open the remaining eight of the 12 stadiums where matches will be held in 11 host cities. Two sports arenas has only the Russian capital.
The number of completed projects, which reported Russia (33%) less than Brazil a year before the 2014 world Cup.
In June of 2013 to the upcoming world Cup had finished six of 12 Brazilian stadiums.
At a press conference in late may, the head of the organizing Committee “Russia-2018” Vitaly Mutko said that by the end of this year all the venues will be ready.
The only stadium that is of concern and the completion of which may be deferred, it is “Space arena” in Samara. Its construction began in 2014, there will be played six matches of the championship.
“This is the only arena that we are running behind schedule, mainly as regards structure, the football field,” the official told reporters.
Due to the fact that the majority of the stadiums is still in the construction phase, the confederations Cup, which starts on Saturday (June 17), will be held pretty tight.
The matches of the tournament selected only four stadiums — the same as were involved in South Africa during the Cup in 2009. Truth and world Cup matches in this country took place only on the ten stadiums.
Four years ago Brazil held a test event in the six arenas that 12 months later hosted the world Cup. She was able to check including the maracanã stadium, where they hosted the finals of the tournament.
But Russia do not succeed. Stadium “Luzhniki” in 2014, was closed for major reconstruction, and that the organizing Committee had not even considered the possibility of its use in the confederations Cup.
The original idea was to open the arena in June, the holding of one of the friendlies.
Thought even as his inauguration to hold the match between Russia and Brazil, which, as we know, did not take place.
Now plans a friendly match with Argentina in November, or another game a little earlier in October.
There is no doubt, it’s the fact that the opening of the renovated stadium involved in the Olympic games of 1980, will be charged the national football team.
At the Luzhniki stadium also hosted the Champions League final of 2008, when “Manchester United” won a victory over “Chelsea”.
“The stadium is ready. Left partial interior decoration and the surrounding area. But we’ll play it this year”, — said Mutko.
On the live thread
If Luzhniki stadiums in Volgograd and Yekaterinburg are under renovation and the remaining five completed arenas are being built from scratch.
Although authorities say that they are all close to completion, to learn about their actual condition was very difficult. Folha tried twice to contact the Russian organizing Committee about the percentage of work completed, but a response to your e-mail is not received.
When we asked the same question to FIFA, we were informed that the organizing Committee is the sole body responsible for providing such information. The Russian press also can not boast of accurate information about the actual progress of the works.
On the FIFA website are published monthly photos from construction sites and brief information about each stadium. In his latest message is from may 26 — the main governing body of football argues “that the construction takes great pace.”
In may, the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino attended one event with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Krasnodar — a city in possession of a modern football arena 34.2 million viewers, which was opened in 2016 and will not be used during the world Cup and expressed its confidence in Russian.
“I was always convinced that Russia will fulfill all its obligations, and now we see concrete facts. I as FIFA President and as a football fan can invite the whole world to come to Russia,” he said.
The hosting of the world Cup Russia allocates 11 billion US dollars (about 36 billion reais) that go into the construction of stadiums and infrastructure.
Only stadiums spent a 3.45 billion (11.4 billion reais). The majority of the funding comes from the state Treasury.
This dollar amount could be higher, however, since the choice of the host country of the championship in December 2010, the ruble depreciated by almost 50%.
In Brazil, costs were slightly lower: a total of 32.3 billion reais, of which 10 billion was spent on stadiums (according to the IPCA).
“We will do everything to… everything to do with the large number of fans, spectators, athletes, was carried out at the highest level”, — in turn, said Vladimir Putin.
