Next June, one of the most important international sporting events will take place, namely the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, which will be held in this 
same country.
With the group draw already completed, each of the 32 national teams knows their opponents and which stadiums of the World Cup in Russia will host each match, both in the group stage and in the exciting final phases of the Cup.
In this edition, we will discuss in more detail the stadiums of the World Cup in Russia and their host cities, where famous players like Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappé will represent their respective national teams on the field.
A competition of this caliber would not be as fascinating without the excitement and passion that fans from around the world bring to each stadium where World Cup matches are held, and this time it is Russia that will host this tournament.
The Stadiums of the World Cup in Russia
From cities like Sochi or St. Petersburg, passing through Kazan and reaching the grand final in Moscow, the 11 cities of the World Cup in Russia will surprise you. Let’s get started! Are the Stadiums Ready? The 12 World Cup stadiums, although some were specially built for the occasion, seem to be mostly finished, and those that are not will be ready days before the tournament begins.
An event like the World Cup attracts fans from all countries and nationalities. Supporters from around the world plan to travel to Russia to see their favorite team live. Therefore, it is necessary for the host cities to be properly prepared and for the stadiums to have a large capacity.
To ensure that nothing goes wrong during the celebration of the long-awaited Cup, the decisions made have led to some curiosities. Here are some peculiar facts about the host cities of the World Cup in Russia:
• Moscow will be the only host city with 2 stadiums hosting matches of the 2018 World Cup.
• Transportation between host cities will be free for fans using the train, as well as public transport within the cities where the matches will be held.
• For the 2018 World Cup in Russia, 4 new stadiums were built and 8 were renovated.
• The 2018 World Cup in Russia may be the first in history to implement the use of VAR (video assistant referee) in its 
stadiums.
• The Cup will be held entirely in the European part of Russia, except for Yekaterinburg, the only host city located on the eastern side of Russia.
• Luzhniki was the main venue for the 1980 Olympic Games and will also host the opening match, the semifinals, and the final of the 2018 World Cup.
• FIFA proposed to reduce the number of host cities to 11 to save costs, but ultimately decided to build stadiums with lower capacity (35,000 seats).
• The only host city not located within Russia is Kaliningrad.
• The Central Stadium of Yekaterinburg has extra stands to increase the stadium’s capacity without modifying the original facade. Once the Cup is over, they will be 
dismantled.
The Host Cities
Did you know that Russia is the largest country in the world? It has an area of 17 million square kilometers and is located between two continents (Northern Asia and Eastern Europe). Therefore, some host cities of the 2018 World Cup in Russia also have a large number of inhabitants:
• Moscow: the capital of Russia and host of the final, has the largest stadium and is also the most populous city in Russia and Europe with over 12 million inhabitants. Moscow is undoubtedly the largest of the host cities.
• St. Petersburg: is the second most important population among the host cities. It has nearly 5 million inhabitants, and the city center with its monuments is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Kazan: 1.2 million inhabitants. It is the capital and the most populous city of the Republic of Tatarstan. The Kazan Kremlin is also considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This host city is the 8th most populous in the country.
• Yekaterinburg: located in the eastern part of the Ural Mountains, where 1.3 million people live. Yekaterinburg is the most populous city and the capital of the Ural Federal District.
• Samara: the Volga River, the largest in Europe, flows through this host city. Samara is an industrial city with 1.2 million inhabitants, and it is home to the largest railway station and the largest square (Kuybyshev) in Europe.
• Nizhny Novgorod: located to the west of Russia, has 1.3 million inhabitants, making it the 5th largest in the country and one of the most beautiful cities in the Cup; for a time, access to foreigners was restricted to protect military research.
• Rostov-on-Don: is the capital of the Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District. It has 1.1 million inhabitants and is traversed by the Don River. This host city is also known as the “Port of 5 Seas,” as it connects with the Caspian, Baltic, White, Azov, and Black Seas.
• Volgograd: 1 million people live in Volgograd. This host city is marked by war and is named after the river that flows through it, the Volga. The stadium bears a strong resemblance to the “Bird’s Nest” in Beijing, which was part of the 2008 Olympics.
• Kaliningrad: is a port city with 437,000 inhabitants. Located in the far west, between Lithuania and Poland, it is the only Russian port on the Baltic Sea. It was the birthplace of philosopher Immanuel Kant. Of the host cities, Kaliningrad is the only one not located within the country.
• Sochi: a well-known beach destination with a temperate climate on the shores of the Black Sea. Sochi has 364,000 inhabitants and was the host of the Winter Olympics in 2014. It offers a wide range of tourist attractions and currently hosts the Russian F1 Grand Prix.
• Saransk: the smallest host city, is the capital of the Republic of Mordovia and has 300,000 inhabitants. Its size is its great advantage, as you can reach anywhere in a matter of minutes.
What were the costs of the stadiums?
Building stadiums of this magnitude for the World Cup in Russia was not a simple task and, above all, it was not cheap. The stadiums had a very high cost, and it was even necessary to increase the budget so that they could be fully ready.
The Russian government stated that spending on infrastructure for the host cities exceeded $10 billion. In some of the host cities, airports and stations also had to be adapted, but it seems that everything will be ready in time for the Cup.
How to purchase tickets?
From April 18 until the last match of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, remaining tickets will be available for all customers online and at designated FIFA centers.
The weather in the host cities
If in the previous World Cup in Brazil the heat was a determining factor, when we talk about the World Cup in Russia, it is normal to think of cold, but the temperature during the days when the 2018 World Cup in Russia will be held may not be as cold as one might think.
In the host cities located to the west, such as St. Petersburg or Kaliningrad, temperatures will be around 18 to 20 degrees, while in the host cities located in the southern part of the country, such as Rostov, Volgograd, or Sochi, temperatures may exceed 30 degrees during the World Cup!
What will happen to the stadiums in the future?
Something that is still not very clear is what will happen to some of the stadiums built when the competition ends. Although football is a very popular sport in Russia, the stadiums of the World Cup in Russia may be a bit too much for the Russian Premier League.
While some of the stadiums already have an established use, such as the St. Petersburg stadium, which will be used by Zenit (the city team), other stadiums like the one in Sochi do not have a local football team.
What are the favorite teams in this Cup?
As always, there will be some favorite teams, although there can always be a surprise.
In advance, the last champions, such as Germany and Spain, will be clear favorites. But one can never forget teams like Brazil, France, Portugal, or Argentina, which have Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi, for example. Two classic favorites that will not play in the World Cup in Russia will be Italy and the Netherlands, as both were eliminated in the qualifiers, as well as the United States team.
A much-anticipated event
There is no doubt that the World Cup in Russia is a major event and that its impact will be even greater. You will be able to enjoy cities with a rich history, magnificent stadiums, and the best players in the world, supported by the most loyal fans on the planet.
All of this will be accompanied by musical performances, memories of past World Cups, and the presence of personalities from all nationalities. The 2018 World Cup in Russia promises to be a historic sporting event that football fans around the world eagerly await with great enthusiasm.
Source: www.codigo-bonus.net