Russia, The Host Country, World Cup 2018
With the closure of the most anticipated game all over the world, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup has begun. The World Cup will be the 21st FIFA World Cup that is being hosted in Russia. This will be the first time that the FIFA World Cup is being organized in Eastern Europe.
The tournament will involve 32 national teams including the host nations and all the current tournament formats will be followed. The UEFA President Michel Platini had proposed the expansion of teams from 32 to 40 making groups of 5 instead of 4 in the year 2013. However, the expansion is unlikely to happen in this world cup as the Host nation is preparing on the basis of 32 teams.
The host for the 2018 FIFA World Cup was selected on the basis of bidding and voting procedures. The right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup was won by Russia in the 22 members FIFA Executive Committee convened in Zurich on 2 December 2010.
As per the opportunity to host such an honorable sport in the nation, Russia has been actively working on hosting the FIFA World Cup. The host country has proposed 11 cities as host cities having the stadiums numbered 12.
Venues
1. Moscow
Luzhniki Stadium
Luzhniki Stadium is the national stadium of Russia, located in its capital, Moscow. The stadium is the largest football stadium in Russia and one of the largest stadiums in Europe.
Otkritie Arena (Spartak Stadium)
Otkritie Arena is a multi-purpose stadium in Moscow, Russia mostly used for football matches. The stadium also hosts the home matches of Spartak Moscow and the Russian national team occasionally. It was called Spartak Stadium during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and will be called the same in the 2018 FIFA World Cup as well.
2. Saint Petersburg
Krestovsky Stadium (Saint Petersburg Stadium), officially known by the name Saint-Petersburg Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in the western portion of Krestovsky Island in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The stadium is also called Zenit Arena. It serves as the home for FC Zenit Saint Petersburg.
3. Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad Stadium, also known as Arena Baltika, is an a s sociation football stadium in Oktyabrsky Island, Kaliningrad, Russia. The construction cost for the stadium was € 257 million.
4. Kazan
Kazan Arena is located in Kazan, Russia. The stadium was completed in July 2013 and has the largest outside screen in Europe.
5. Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, a football stadium located in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, is one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
6. Samara
Cosmos Arena (Samara Arena) is in Samara, Russia is one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will be called Samara Arena during the World Cup. The authorities announced that their design tender in late 2012 with the cost estimated at $320 million.
7. Volgograd
Volgograd Arena is located in Volgograd, Russia, and is one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
8. Saransk
The football stadium is located in Saransk, Mordovia, Russia, and will be used in time for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
9. Rostov-on-Don
The Stadium is an a s sociation football stadium in Rostov-on-Don, Russia which is one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
10. Sochi
It is an outdoor stadium in Sochi, Russia, located in Sochi Olympic Park and named after Mount Fisht.
11. Yekaterinburg
It is a multi-purpose stadium in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and will be one of 12 venues in 11 host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. It will be called Ekaterinburg Arena.
Official Mascot
Following the best ever mascot in the history of World Cups, this time the Official Mascot for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia is Zabivaka, which means “the one who scores” in Russian. The name was given only after engaging in the creative process for an Official Mascot in FIFA World Cup history.
The Official Mascot represents an anthropomorphic wolf with a brown and white wool T-shirt with the words "RUSSIA 2018" written and removed orange sports gla s ses. The combination of white, blue, and red T-shirts and shorts represents the national colors of the Russian team. It was designed by a student designer, Ekaterina Bocharova, and was selected through Internet voting.
Adidas Telstar 18
The official name for the match ball is Adidas Telstar 18 that is designed by the company, Adidas, a FIFA partner. The company has been supplying the official match ball since 1970.
The Telstar 18 was presented by Lionel Messi on November 9, 2017, in Moscow.
One of the best teams in football history, Italy, and the Netherlands are not selected for the World Cup 2018. Chile, who won the Copa America in 2016 is also not selected for the Cup this time.
After the end of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, and FIFA President Blatter came together for the 2014/2018 FIFA World Cup hand-over ceremony. Blatter handed over the official host certificate to the Russian President.
Even though Russia could not make a remarkable position in 2014, Russia is working to deliver remarkable host appreciation so far. Russia has to have 10 out of 12 stadiums to be newly made and the remaining two to renovate. There will be the sight of much construction works happening in the host cities. It is said that Russia will be the most expensive country in terms of ticket fares.
It is also said that due to presumed corruption and bad planning, the price might be as double as the ticket price that had been in Brazil. Besides the ticket rates, it is also a huge challenge in Russia to combat racism in football.
Local Organizing Committee, Chair Alexey Sorokin has said, Russia wants to do its very best to match with the environment of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil which was rated 9.25 out of 10 but to supersede it. He again added The Organizing Committee shall do its best to ensure a trouble-free competition.
Sorokin has said two of the stadiums have been ready with the other two being finished by early 2016 and the other 8 in the year 2017. The host cities have already unveiled their posters at the time of the announcement which is the first time in FIFA history. This proves, the country is very excited and feeling proud of hosting this prestigious event for the first time, and therefore, the joy must be obvious.
