As before every tournament, problems arose during the construction stage. However, unlike Brazil 2014, the works on the Russian pitches were completed in a timely manner.
Venue construction problems before any World Cup create a headache for the host country. Always. Whether in America, Africa, Europe (or any continent), the inconveniences -in some cases accompanied by complaints of alleged cases of corruption- appear months before any World Cup event.
The World Cup will be played on 12 courts in 11 Russian cities: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara.
Most important stadium data for Russia 2018
Exactly half of the 12 stadiums located in 11 Russian cities that will be presented by this country for the World Cup that will begin on June 14 were built exclusively for this event, including Nizhny Novgorod, where Argentina will face its second commitment for Group D against Croatia on Thursday the 21st of next month.
Spartak Stadium Russia
Cost: $250 million.
City: Moscow.
Capacity: 43,298 spectators.
Matches to be played:
Group stage:
ARGENTINA vs Iceland.
Poland vs Senegal.
Belgium vs Tunisia.
Serbia vs Brazil.
Round of 16 (H1 vs G2).
Luzhniki Stadium Moscow.
Cost: $410 million.
City: Moscow.
Capacity: 81,000.
Matches:
Group stage:
Russia vs Saudi Arabia.
Germany vs Mexico.
Portugal vs Morocco.
Denmark vs France.
Round of 16 (B1 vs A2).
Semifinal and Final.
Russland Stadion Kazan
Cost: $250 million.
City: Kazan.
Capacity: 44,779.
Matches:
Group stage:
France vs Australia.
Iran vs Spain.
Poland vs Colombia.
South Korea vs Germany.
Round of 16 (C1 vs D2).
Mordavia Arena (new)
Cost: $295 million
City: Saransk.
Capacity: 44,442.
Matches:
Group stage:
Peru vs Denmark.
Colombia vs Japan.
Iran vs Portugal.
Panama vs Tunisia.
Samara Arena (new)
Cost: $310 million
City: Samara.
Capacity: 44,807.
Matches:
Group stage:
Costa Rica vs Serbia.
Denmark vs Australia.
Uruguay vs Russia.
Senegal vs Colombia.
Round of 16 (E1 vs F2).
Quarter finals.
Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg Arena (new)
Cost: $220 million.
City: Yekaterinburg.
Capacity: 35,690.
Matches:
Group stage:
Egypt vs Uruguay.
France vs Peru.
Japan vs Senegal.
Mexico vs Sweden.
Volgograd Arena (new)
Cost: $300 million.
City: Volgograd.
Capacity: 45,568.
Matches:
Group stage:
Tunisia vs England.
Nigeria vs Iceland.
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt.
Japan vs Poland.
Rostov Arena (new)
Cost: US$330 million.
City: Rostov-on-Don.
Capacity: 45,145.
Matches:
Group stage:
Brazil vs Switzerland.
Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia.
South Korea vs Mexico.
Iceland vs Croatia.
Round of 16 (G1 vs H2).
Fisht Arena Sochi
Cost: $400 million.
City: Sochi.
Capacity: 47,700.
Matches:
Group stage:
Portugal versus Spain.
Belgium vs Panama.
Germany vs Sweden.
Australia vs Peru.
Round of 16 (A1 vs B2).
Nizhny Novgorod (new)
Cost: US$307 million.
City: Nizhny Novgorod.
Capacity: 45,331.
Matches:
Group stage:
Sweden vs South Korea.
ARGENTINA vs Croatia.
England vs Panama.
Switzerland vs. Costa Rica.
Round of 16 (D1 vs C2).
Quarter finals.
Saint Petersburg Stadium – Zenit Arena
Cost: US$735 million.
City: Saint Petersburg.
Capacity: 68,134.
Matches:
Group stage:
Morocco vs Iran.
Russia vs Egypt.
Brazil vs. Costa Rica.
Nigeria vs. ARGENTINA.
Round of 16 (F1 vs E2).
Semifinal and Third place.
Kaliningrad Stadium
Cost: $300 million
City: Kaliningrad.
Capacity: 35,212.
Matches:
Group stage:
Spain vs Morocco.
Croatia vs Nigeria.
Serbia vs Switzerland.
England vs Belgium.