Mordovia Arena

Key Facts

Host City: Saransk
Capacity: 45 000
Project Type: New
Completed: 2018

Matches:

16 June 2018 19:00 – Peru vs Denmark – Group C

19 June 2018 18:00 – Colombia vs Japan – Group H

25 June 2018 21:00 – Iran vs Portugal – Group B

28 June 2018 21:00 – Panama vs Tunisia – Group G

History and description

The Mordovia Arena, also known as Saransk Stadium and Stadion Yubileyny, is the recently opened new home of Mordovia Saransk and one of the playing venues of the 2018 World Cup.

The stadium was first proposed in early 2010 before the World Cup had got awarded to Russia. Following various redesigns first building works began in late 2011, and soon after Saransk got picked as one of the host cities of the World Cup.

However, works progressed slowly, and with the first structures of the lower tier barely up in 2012, the project stalled due to a lack of funding. Little activity was recorded in the next two years until works were picked up again in late 2014.

Folowing some further delays, the Mordovia Arena opened on 21 April 2018 with a league match between Mordovia and Zenith Ishevsk (0-0), albeit at a reduced capacity. The first full-capacity match, the third at the stadium, was played on 16 May.

The Mordovia Arena will have a capacity of 45,000 seats for the World Cup, which will be brought down to 28,000 seats after the World Cup by removing the upper tier and turning it into a walking concourse.

During the World Cup, the Mordovia Arena will host four first round group matches.

The Mordovia Arena is located on the eastern edge of the small city of Saransk, though the distance from Saransk’s principal Sovetskaya Square is less than a kilometre, or a 10-minute walk.

Source: FIFA and the stadiumguide.com